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Leadership of Mao Zedong

Niyanthesh Reddy, Damien Deszi, Danny Alban, and


Lauren Donnelly

IB History of the Americas
Early Life
Born in 1893 in Shaoshan, China (Central Part)
His father was a poor peasant who became a landowner and
businessman. (Mo Ychng).
Basic education
- Hunan First Normal School
- Peking University
During these years, he learned a lot about political and economic
problems in China.
Conditions of Authoritarian States in China
1911 Revolution
Creation of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party)
Shanghai Massacre (1927)
Warlords Period
Chinese Civil War

Emergence of Mao Zedong
Wanted good economy
5 Years Plan helped China become more independent (agriculture)
Gain control of cities
Attacked religion
Wanted to Wipeout landlords
Introduced insurance, gave industry workers 60^-80% pensions
Totalitarianism in China- Single Party
After defeating the KMT (Kuomintang) in the Chinese
Civil War, he established the CCP (Communist Party)
Popularity and extermination of competition allowed him
to become very close to the Chinese public.


Methods: Force or Legal
Chairman Mao used force
- Cultural Revolution
- Great Leap Forward
- Exterminating Opposition
Form of Government under Mao
China became communist
Underlying principle is Maoism
Mao wanted to create a group of communist leaders
who could take over capitalist individuals and firms.


Nature, Extent, and Treatment of
Opposition
Through Maos intense propaganda and with
extermination of all opposition so there was Little
Chinese opposition.
Opposition increased after the Great Leap Forward,
but was suppressed by the Red Cultural Revolution
Chinese War happened between the KMT and CCP.
Mao represented his opponents as supporters of
Western culture.
Domestic Policies and their Impact
The Organic Law (1949)
Marriage Reform Law (1950)
Agrarian Reform Law (1950)

Political Policies
The government did not allow opposing parties to
express themselves legally. They controlled elections
and monopolized political positions
Structure and Organization of
Government and Administration
October 1, 1949- Peoples Republic of China
was officially made with Mao Zedong
The National Peoples Congress (NPC) was
made with Mao as its president
The power of the president includes
promulgating statues adopted by the NPC.
Proclaiming martial law, declaring a state of war
and issuing orders of mobilization, etc.
Economic Policy
The government guaranteed all people a job and
income and had only public businesses controlled by
the state. There was no private ownership of
business.
The was also the economic event called the Great
Leap Forward. This was an attempt to create a mass
amount of labor improve the agricultural and
industrial production. It was essentially a failure.
Social Policies
Chairman Mao launched the Cultural Revolution
attempting to remove social impurities from the
nation & revive the communist spirit.
Religious Policies
Mao Zedong was a proponent of the Confucian
religion only because he believed the if the peasants
followed this. It would be easier for him to justify
himself as leader through this religion.

Besides this, he persecuted other religions,
especially Christianity.
Role of Education, the Arts, The Media,
Propaganda
Mao initiated what was called cultural revolution which changed
many customs. The arts, the media, and propaganda were all aimed
towards supporting the Communist Party.
- "Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of
thought contend is the policy for promoting progress in the arts and
the sciences and a flourishing socialist culture in our land.

Education was guaranteed to everyone in collectivization including
peasants. This led to many riots and protests along with genocide of
those who resisted.

Status of Women, Treatment of Religious
Groups, and Minorities
Mao was an advocate of womens equality in society,
though not in giving them privileges above any of his
subordinates (Ex. Labor)
Mao realized that to keep his country together,
minorities and their religious beliefs and customs
had to be respected.

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