WELLESLEY COLLEGE
POL2 208 POLITICS IN CHINA
FALL 2010
Prof. William A. Joseph
PNE 232, 781-283-2201
Office Hours: TBA
This course is an introduction to the modern political history and contemporary political system of
China. The emphasis is on China's political development; i. e. the changing structure, use, and
distribution of power in China from the middle of the 19th century to the present. Topics include the fall
of imperial China, the origins, development, and victory of the Chinese Communist revolution; the rule
and legacy of Chairman Mao Zedong, particularly the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution;
economic reform, cultural opening, and political repression (especially the Tiananmen crisis) in the era
of Deng Xiaoping; and the evolution of Chinese politics in post-Deng China. Politics in Tibet, Xinjiang,
Hong Kong, and Taiwan will also be considered as time allows. Although the focus of the course is on
China's domestic politics, close attention will be paid to the influence of international factors on China's
development and part the last sessions of the course will look at China's role in the world.
Please note: Since much time in the course is spent on imperial China, the Chinese civil war and the
Maoist period, if you have already studied a lot of modern Chinese history, you may want to think about
whether this course is redundant for you.
The written assignments for the course, tentative due dates, and weights in the final grade are as
follows:
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Two take-home essay exams (1500-2000 words each), due approximately October 12th and
November 19th (25% each);
A self-scheduled, closed-book final exam (40%);
Attendance, attentiveness, and participation. There will be specific assignments related to this
requirement, such as reporting on current events in China, which will be will specified early in
the semester and depend on the size of the class. (10%)
NOTE: For the two in-term assignments, you may have a total of five days of "extensions" from the due
date to use throughout the term as best fits your schedule. These extensions allow you to hand in a
paper late without a grade penalty, but after your five days have been used up the assignment will be
marked down 1/3 grade per day (or fraction of a day) late (e. g. from B+ to B)
Please read carefully the list of Responsibilities and Expectations attached to this syllabus.
The following books (all paperback) are available for purchase in the bookstore (or elsewhere) and on
reserve in Clapp/Knapp:
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Jung Chang, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China.
Timothy Cheek, Mao Zedong and China's Revolutions.
June Grasso, et. al., Modernization and Revolution in China: From the Opium War to the
Olympics, 4th edition.
Video assignments are a very important part of this course, so you should take them just as seriously as
the reading. The assigned videos are available through E-Reserves or online.
Students are also expected to keep up with current events in China. One source of quick access to news
about China is my China Headline News RSS-feed, which is accessible via the course conference on
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FirstClass and China Politics Links. Each student will be asked to submit an interesting and substantive
article (or link) with commentary to the course conference at least once during the semester. The first
10-15 minutes of class each Friday will be spent discussing current events. The events/issues discussed
during this time may be part of the final exam.
COURSE SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS: Assignments marked (ER) are available via Electronic
Reserve in the FirstClass conference for this course. Assignments marked (OL) are "online" and can be
accessed via the online version of the course syllabus or through the Online Readings folder in the
course FirstClassc conference. Those marked (eBrary) are available through the online library catalog. As
we go along through the semester, I will do my best to let you know well in advance which readings
should be done by which class meeting. The readings are generally listed in the order in which it is
recommended that they be done.
Part I: Starting Points
Sept. 7 Introduction to the Course
Sept. 10 Language, Geography, & 2,231 Years of Chinese History
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June Grasso, et. al., Modernization and Revolution in China, Preface; Pronunciation Guide, ch. 1.
Read the following parts of the entry on China's geography and demography in Encyclopedia
Britannica Online: NOTE: BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRINT THE WHOLE 300 PAGE ARTICLE ON
"CHINA"!
o China (introductory page)
o The Land-Relief
o Ethnic and Linguistic Groups
o Population Distribution
Edwin O. Reischauer, "The Dynastic Cycle." (ER)
Familiarize yourself with my China Politics Links website.
Part II: From Empire to People's Republic
NOTE: Required video for Part II of the course: "China in Revolution" (2 hours) This film can be viewedvia
the Video E-Reserves link in the E-Reserves folder of our course conference.
Sept. 14 - Oct. 1 Imperial China
Why did the China's imperial system last so long? The Glue is the Clue
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 2.
Albert Feuerwerker, "Ideology as a Unifying Element" and "Emperor and Bureaucracy: The
Political Order," in State and Society in Eighteenth Century China. (ER)
Emperor Qianlong's Letter to King George III (1793). (OL)
Lloyd E. Eastman, "Agriculture: An Overview," in Family, Fields, and Ancestors: Constancy and
Change in China's Social and Economic History, 1550-1949. (ER)
Suisheng Zhao, "The Decline of the Chinese World Order," in Power Competition in East Asia, pp.
15-25. (ER)
Things (Begin to) Fall Apart
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 3, pp. 32-41.
Suisheng Zhao, "The Decline of the Chinese World Order," pp. 26-31. (ER)
Lin Zexu’s “Moral Advice to Queen Victoria” (1839). Read Overview and Full Text.
Required video: "The Two Coasts of China" (1 hour). (ER)
The Five Rs: Rebellion, Restoration, Reform, Reaction, & Revolution
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 3, pp. 41-64.
Jung Chang, Wild Swans, ch. 1-2.
John E. Wills, Jr., "Hong Xiuquan, The Heavenly King," and "Liang Qichao," in Mountain of Fame:
Portraits in Chinese History. eBrary
Lucien Bianco, "Social Causes of the Revolution," in The Origins of the Chinese Revolution, pp.
83-107. (ER)
Oct. 8, 15, 19 Civil War, World War, and more Civil War
Why the Communists won- - and why the Nationalists lost.
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 4-6.
Wellesley College Person of the Week: "Madame Chiang Kai-shek"
Jung Chang, Wild Swans, chs 3-7.
Timothy Cheek, Mao Zedong and China's Revolutions, pp.1-13, 183-197.
Mao Zedong (Mao Tsetung)
o "Report on the Peasant Movement in Hunan" (1927) in Cheek, pp. 41-75 (Pay closest
attention to Parts I and II, but do a careful skim of the rest)
o Be Concerned with the Well-being of the Masses" (1934) (OL)
o "What is Guerrilla Warfare?" (1937) (OL)
o "On Contradiction"(1937) (Selections) (OL)
o "Talk at the Yanan Conference on Art and Literature" (1942) in Cheek , pp. 112-116.
o "On Methods of Leadership," (1943) in Cheek, pp. 117-127.
o "Serve the People" (1944) (OL)
o "The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains" (1945) (OL)
o "Snow," (1945) in Cheek, pp. 123-123
PART III: Mao in Power (1949-1976)
NOTE: Required video for Part III of the course: "The Mao Years" (2 hours). This film can be viewed via the
Video E-Reserves link in the E-Reserves folder of our course conference.
Oct. 22 Creating the "New China" (1949-55): Golden Years or Ominous Shadows?
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 7, pp. 130-152.
Chang, chs. 8-9.
Cheek, pp. 18-21.
Mao Zedong
o "The Chinese People Have Stood Up!" in Cheek, pp. 125-127.
o Preserve the Style of Plain Living and Hard Struggle" (OL)
o "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship" (OL)
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Oct. 26 Fragrant Flowers and Poisonous Weeds (1956-57): A Critical Turning Point
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 7, pp. 152-162.
Chang, chs. 10-11.
Cheek, pp. 21-24.
Mao Zedong
o "On the Question of Agricultural Cooperation" (OL)
o "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions...," Parts I, II, VIII, IX, X, in Cheek, pp. 127ff.
Oct. 29, Nov. 5 The Great Leap Forward...Backward...and Rightward (1958-1964)
No Class Tuesday Nov. 2. I will be away at a conference.
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 8.
Chang, chs. 12-14.
Cheek, pp. 24-26, 204-209.
Mao Zedong, "Talk at the Beidaihe Conference," in Cheek, pp. 160-166.
Jasper Becker, "Anhui: Let's Talk About Fengyang," in Hungry Ghosts: Mao's Secret Famine. (ER)
Nov. 9, 12 Mao's Last Stand: The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)
 Grasso, et. al, ch. 9.
 Chang, chs. 15-27.
 Cheek, 26-36, 167-179, 210-215.
 Mao Zedong, "Talks with Mao Yuan-hsin [Yuanxin]" (OL)
 Serve the People! Daily Life in China During the Cultural Revolution [Browse this website]
PART IV: The Deng Era and Beyond (1977-present)
Nov. 16, 19 Deng Xiaoping in Power: The Little Big Man Strikes Back
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Grasso, et. al, ch. 10.
Chang, ch. 28 and Epilogue.
Cheek, 213-232.
Deng Xiaoping:
o "Build Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" (OL)
o "Uphold the Four Cardinal Principles" (excerpts)(OL)
Required Video: "The Tank Man," Available on-line at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tankman/. Read the background and the other
information about the "Beijing Massacre" available at this site.
Nov. 23 - Dec 10 China After Deng: Change, Continuity, Challenge and Contradiction
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Grasso, et. al. 11-13.
William A. Joseph, "China," sections 2-5, from Introduction to Comparative Politics, 5th ed., M.
Kesselman, J. Krieger, W. Joseph, ed. (OR)
Required Video: "China Blue: An undercover look at the brutal conditions in a Chinese blue jeans
factory," PBS, Global Voices, 2010.
Other assignments to be announced.
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