Chinese+Political+History+-+Emma+S

What is communism and how did it begin in China?
Communism is a revolutionary, socialist movement which aims to create a classless, moneyless and stateless social order which is structured upon common ownership. Communism began in China mainly due to Mao Zedong. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the country went into gradual chaos with many land lords taking advantage of the situation. The warlordism in China lasted from 1916 to 1927 when warlords fought against each other regardless of common ideas or purposes. The principles of communism began to spread at this time and these ideals were very appealing for the majority of people. Following the Boxer Rebellion, China's people experienced starvation, extreme poverty along with grief after the loss of so many innocent lives. This was the perfect time for Mao Zedong and his godless, communist ideals to come into play. After being under the rule of warlords, many Chinese began joining revolutionary groups and political parties in hopes of changing their country. During and after the Great Revolution, China saw several movements which strongly fostered a path into communism. Communism came into power in 1949 under the power of Mao Zedong.

Who is Chairman Mao?
Chairman Mao (Mao Zedong) was the founder of the People's Republic of China. Mao was born in 1893 in the Hunan Province of China. His father was a poor peasant. Mao went to school at 8 years of age but left at 13 to work on the family farm. He later continued his studies in Changsha but when the Xinhai Revolution against the Qing Dynasty broke out he left to join the Revolutionary Army. After the war ended, he went back to school once more and completed his studies. After graduation, Mao moved to Beijing and worked as a assistant librarian at Peking University. He attended some lectures at this university after registering as a part time student. Zedong moved back to Changsha and became a headmaster of a school. In the following years Mao's communist ideologies and positions in Communist parties and groups formed and grew. Mao eventually became the leader of the Chinese Revolution and founded the People's Republic of China. He held complete control over the nation until his death in 1976 after 31 years in office.

What was life like for the Chinese people between 1930-1980?
Life for the Chinese people between 1930-1980 was for the vast majority of people very, very hard. Mao Zedong's rule is believed to have caused the deaths of 40 to 70 million people. This was caused by severe starvation during the Great Chinese Famine which occurred between 1958 and 1962 and many other campaigns and policies. The effect his rule and 'cultural revolution' had on the people of China was great, in a terrible way.

What is The Long March?
The Long March was a military retreat by the Red Army of the Communist Party of China. The communists, under the eventual command of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, escaped in a circling retreat to the west and north, which reportedly travelled 12,500 kilometres over 370 days. The route passed through some of the most difficult terrain of western China. The Long March began the ascent to power for Mao Zedong, whose leadership during the retreat gained him the support of the members of the party. Only one-tenth of the force that left completed the Long March and would come to represent a significant episode in the history of the Communist Party of China, and would seal the personal prestige of Mao and his supporters as the new leaders of the party in the coming decades.

** What was the ruling structure in China before communism? **
The ruling structure in China before communism was a dynasty. Emperors ruled. The last dynasty was the Qing Dynasty which lasted from 1644 until 1912.

** Outline historical achievements. **
The most well known historical Chinese achievements are the many amazing inventions. These include the invention of paper, silk, matches, wheelbarrows, gunpowder, the decimal system, the waterwheel, the sundial, porcelain china, lacquer paint, pottery wheel, fireworks, paper money, compass, seismograph, dominoes, jump rope, kites, folding umbrella, ink, calligraphy, animal harness, playing cards, printing, abacus, wallpaper, the crossbow, ice cream(!!) and many more!.

How has China changed today? What is life like in China now?
China is still communist but has changed, and is changing so much at a rapid rate. From starvation to over 900 million owning mobile phones in just a few decades is crazy! Skylines are constantly popping up or becoming higher and more modern. Standards of living have become better and are often better in the city than in the countryside, since Chairman Mao's time. Many people move to the city in search of a better life and more job opportunities. Although the standard has improved, it is still far below the West's standard of living.