Modern Asia
Ch 24 Notes
24.1 Communist China
• Chinese Revolution
– Communists take over after long civil war
between Nationalists and communists
• By 1949 Mao Zedong est the People’s
Republic of China
– Chiang Kai Shek and Nationalists fled to
Taiwan
• Est the Republic of China there
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China Under Mao
• 1955 Chinese gov launched a
program to build a socialist society
– Land taken away from lords and given to
poor peasants
– Most private farmland was collectivized
• Attempted to increase food production which
would allow more people to work industry
– Most industry and commerce was
nationalized
Great Leap Forward (1958)
• Collective farms turned into communes
– >30,000 people lived and worked together
• Mao hoped would lead to true communist (classless)
society
• Proved to be a disaster
– Food production decreased due to bad weather
and people’s hatred of system
– Almost 15 mill starved to death
– 1960 gov began breaking up communes into
collective farms with some private plots
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Mao’s Dream
• A permanent revolution where China
could achieve the final stage of
communism = a classless society
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Cultural Revolution (1966)
• Mao’s Little Red Book was source of
knowledge in all areas
– Red Guards formed to further the revolution
• Tried to eliminate the “Four Olds”
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–
–
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Old ideas
Old culture
Old customs
Old habits
• Some of Red Guard attacked people
• Many people did not support them and wanted a
permanent revolution
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China After Mao
• Died in September 1976
• Practical-minded reformers led by
Deng Xiaoping seized power
– Ended the Cultural Revolution
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Deng Xiaoping’s Policies
• Four Modernizations: focused on
advancing China in 4 ways
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–
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Industry
Agriculture
Technology
National defense
Updating China
• Had been isolated for 20 years
– Government invited foreign investors into
China to help make up for that
– Thousands of Chinese students sent
abroad to study science, technology, and
modern business techniques
New Agricultural Policy
• A little capitalism was allowed:
– Collective farmers could lease land to
peasant farmers
– Anything produced on the land beyond
amount of “rent” could be sold on the
private market
– Peasants allowed to make goods and sell
them to others
Modernization Worked
• Overall, policy was a success
• Many complained that it failed
because it didn’t create a democracy
– New leaders still did not allow direct
criticism of the Communist Party
More Problems in late 1980s
• More people studied abroad
• More information reached highly educated
Chinese people
• Economic improvements led to pressure for
better living conditions and more freedom
to choose jobs in the cities after graduation
• Rising inflation led to discontent among
salaried workers, especially in the cities
• Corruption and special treatment of officials
and party members led to criticism
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Tiananmen Square
• Students gathered to protest in May of
1989
– Called for an end to corruption
– Led a mass demonstration in Beijing
• Deng Xiaoping ordered tanks and
troops into the square to squash the
demonstration
• Some killed
• Outraged many
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China’s Relations with the West
• Strained relations
– Human rights violations
– Its determination to unify with Taiwan
– Its increasing military power
• China does maintain diplomatic
relations with the West
Social Changes Under
Communism
• Women’s roles
– Not allowed to participate in politics
– New marriage law in 1950 allowed
women equal rights with men
– New regime tried to destroy the influence
of the traditional family system because it
undercut loyalty to the state
• Similar to USSR
• Children encouraged to report parents
who said anything against the system
After Mao’s Death
• Shift away from revolutionary fervor
and return to family traditions
– Meant better living conditions
– Parents could choose own names for
children, not patriotic names
– Clothing choices also changed more
toward Western fashions
Shifting Balance of Power in Asia
• In 1950s relations between China and the
Soviet Union began to deteriorate
– In the 60s their military units often clashed along
their border
• China had internal problems causing it to
focus on relations with USA
– 1972: Nixon became 1st president to visit the
People’s Republic of China since its creation in
1949
– 1979: diplomatic relations est between China
and US
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Relations with China
• During 1980s relations between China
and the Soviet Union improved
• In 1990s, China began to play a more
active role in Asian affairs
• In the 200s, China is still strengthening
trade relations around the world
– In 2002 China joined the World Trade
Organization
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24.2 India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
• India
– After WWII the leaders of India realized
that British India would have to be divided
into 2 countries
• India – Hindu
• Pakistan – Muslim
– Would be separated into 2 regions with India in
between
Gaining Independence
• 1947 India and Pakistan became independent
• Millions of people migrated to areas where their
religion would be more accepted
• Millions died as a result of the mass migrations
• Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated in January of
1948
• Ceylon, off coast of India, also became
independent in 1947
– 1972 changed name to Sri Lanka
– Many ethnic struggles exist there
India
• Congress Party led by Nehru
– Nehru worked closely with Gandhi for Indian
independence
• Under Nehru’s leadership
– Gov took ownership of major industries, utilities,
and transportation (socialism)
– Private enterprise was permitted at local level
– Farming left in private hands
– Industrial production almost tripled between 1950
and 1965
After Nehru died, his daughter
Indira Gandhi became prime
minister
• Faced 2 problems
– Biggest problem: huge populationg rowth
• During 1950s and 60s the population grew at a rate of
2% a year
• One result of this was worsening poverty
– Ethnic and religious conflict
• Many Sikhs (followers of religion based on both Hindu
and Muslim beliefs) lived in Punjab and wanted
independence
• Gandhi used military force in 1984
• Some Sikhs wanted revenge and Gandhi was
assassinated later that year
Next Prime Minister: Rajiv
• Indira Gandhi’s son
• Began some new economic policies
– Encouraged private enterprise and transfer staterun industries into private hands (capitalism)
• He was assassinated in 1991 while he was
running for re-election
• Conflict continued between Hindus and
Muslims
– Ex: long-term dispute over Kashmir
Pakistan
• Early years of its independence were
marked by internal conflicts
– Growing division between East and West
Pakistan
• Many in East Pakistan felt government
(based in West Pakistan) was ignoring their
needs
– 1971 East Pakistan declared its independence
– After civil war, it became Bangladesh
Bangladesh and Pakistan
• Have had trouble establishing stable
governments
– Have had military officials seize control of
civilian government many times
• Both are also quite poor
Afghanistan
• Many similarities to
both Asia and Middle
East
• Taliban
– Islamist militant group
that ruled parts of
Afghanistan
– Connection to Bin
Laden
– Ousted with US war on
terror
24.3 Other Asian Nations
• Japan
– Occupied by US from 1945 to 1952
– MacArthur was in charge
– September 1951 occupation ended with
treaty signed by US and other former WWII
allies that restored independence to
Japan
– Another treaty allowed the US to use
Japanese bases
• Gave US a stronghold in Asia
1947 “MacArthur Constitution”
• Set up a parliamentary gov that
maintained armed forces at levels
sufficient only for defense
• Emperor’s power greatly reduced
• Guaranteed basic civil & political rights
– Gave women the right to vote
• Showed a lot of American influence
• Today: Japan has a stable democracy
Reforms in Japan
• Land reforms: land sold on easy credit
terms to tenant farmers
– Created a strong class of independent
farmers
• Zaibatsu: large business
conglomeration
– Supposed to dismantle but only effected
19
– New system created of ties between
companies
Reforms Cont.
• Education: new system meant to
eliminate aggressiveness, stressed
individualism
• Women: right to vote
– Encouraged to participate in politics but
not = to men
– Paid less than men
– Most jobs were in retail or service
occupations
Japanese Miracle
• Economic
• State Capitalism: central gov plays active
role in the economy
– Est price and wage policies
– Subsidized vital industries
• Very fast economic recovery
– Between 1946 and 1967 Japan’s gross national
product grew at a rate of 10% a year
– In 2000 their GNP was >Britain and France’s
combined and ½ of the USA’s
What caused the economic
miracle?
• Cultural factors
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Group oriented so they cooperate well
Hard working and frugal
Highly skilled labor force
Share common values and respond in
similar ways to the challenges of the
modern world
• Practical reasons
– More modern factories since they had to
rebuild
– Spend more time at work than in other
industrial societies
– Corporations reward innovation and
maintain good management-labor
relations
• Some say unfair business practices like
dumping goods at low prices to break
into a foreign market and restrict
imports from other countries
Problems Still Exist
• 2 recent prime ministers have been
forced to resign over improper
financial dealings with business
associates
• Questions about textbooks detailing
crimes committed by the Japanese
government and armed forces in WWII
Other Asian Nations
• Most struggling economically
• Few exceptions: 4 Asian Tigers/Little
Dragons
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South Korea
Taiwan
Singapore
Hong Kong
• Have made significant economic advances
South Korea
• Split from North Korea after Korean War
(1950-1953)
– More advanced than North Korea
• Officially a democratic government
– Have an autocratic leader
– People often denied their rights
• Economically: lot of economic
development
– Samsung, Daewoo, Hyundai (Kia is owned by
Hyundai)
Taiwan
• Chiang Kai-shek as leader
– Have been disputes over what gov controls it, Chiang Kaishek’s or the mainland gov of China
• Protected by the US military
• Land reform program: peasants could own
farmland
– Doubled food production
• Local manufacturing and commerce are emerging
• After Kai-shek’s death, gov became more
democratic but there are still some questions about
its independence
Singapore
• Industrial economy
– Based on shipbuilding, oil refineries, and
electronics
• Major banking center for South East
Asia
• Citizens are demanding a more
democratic government
Hong Kong
• Industrial powerhouse
• Until 1997, it was under British control
• Now China owns it
– Has promised to allow it to live under a
capitalist system for 50 years and allow it
to be self-governing
Australia and New Zealand
• Culturally more like Europe
• Political system based on European models
• Some trends tie them more closely to Asia
– > ½ of the immigrants to Australia in recent years
are from Asian nations
– 60% of Australia’s export markets in East Asia
• Uncertain as to whether they will become
an integral part of the Asia-Pacific region