"Chinese Communism" Seminar - ASIOC

Mao's life by Philip Short : The Movie

2012-01-15T21:04:00.002+01:00

Good evening everyone.

For my book review, I red the book a Philip Short "Mao's Life". As you can guess, it's a biography on Mao Zedong's Life.

During my research about the author and this book, I found that him and the french-german channel Arte collaborated together to made a movie following the books story : "Mao, une histoire chinoise"

If you're interested by this books and Mao's Life but you don't have time to read the 600 pages of Short's book, the 5 episodes of one hour made by this collaboration could be the best and the faster way for you to know more about Mao.

I saw the episodes and it's really interesting, even for someone who had already red the book. The most fascinating thing is to see video of Mao. I never saw video of him and my feeling was to see a myth walking, laughing, smoking... Just for the scene choose for illustrating the narrative speech, these episodes need to be seen.

You can just buy the official DVD on this web site : http://www.arte.tv/fr/_C2_AB-Mao--une-histoire-chinoise-_C2_BB---le-film/2115888,CmC=2818718.html

Or you can be smarter than that and just try with google to found a website where you can download it for free.

Final Presentation

2011-12-06T15:13:00.005+01:00

You can find our presentation by clicking on the link. Enjoy the raining day!

http://prezi.com/ljyj3izfrtyj/richardier-rolandez-final-presentation-essays/

And you should take a look to the questions we will ask you tomorrow by downloading them on the Wiki!

http://ccasioc.pbworks.com/w/page/48693331/RICHARDIER-ROLANDEZ%20-%20Presentations%20of%20the%20essays

New elites and the Political system

2011-11-21T16:09:00.002+01:00

Good afternoon everyone.

This is the outlook of our presentation for Wednesday 23rd.

Introduction

· What are new challenges that PRC faces?

I. Power mechanism of the new elite politics

A. How do coexist ‘Decentralization’ and ‘Power of center’?

· The center allows economic decision-making shift to lower of the state

· But, the upper levels have by no means relinquished all power to local leaders

B. Decentralization from the state to individuals, enterprise

· The biggest change of decentralization is from the state as a whole (both central and local) to individuals and, to a lesser extent, enterprises. (rather than from the Center to local)

C. ‘Winner-take –all’ or ‘Compromise’?

· Conception of the political game has been played as a game to win all, in other words, “You die, I live”

· First reaction of the political elite actor face to the social change was to react with the old rule of the political game

· Old way to govern has an important impact in the development of the reform in two major way

II. The reforms as the beginning point of a new elite, a new society stratification and the weakness

A. Reform as a challenge to the rule of game

· Renouncing the ideological justification and seeking to regularize its relationship with society

· Practitioners having persisted in stressing the objective laws in their fields, trying to squeeze Party bureaucrats out

· Taking the Constitution as the basic norm of conduct

· The regular convening of Party meeting

B. Elite groups diversified

· After the Mao’s era, the guanxi base on the familial relation growth and have an important influence into the political system organisation

· With the era of reform, first representative of the Cultural Revolution group start to enter into the political, as a new kind of elite group into the CCP

· Rationalisation of the elite recruitment that focus and them capacity and knowledge and institutionalisation of elite’s renewal during the 90’s

· Emergence of a new class into the society: the “new entrepreneurs”

C. Weakness in the politic system

· Central state capacity comes from the entrepreneurial activities of the central government itself

· Undeveloped legal structures

· Undeveloped civil society

Conclusion

Thank you.

See you all on Wednesday.

Walid LAOUAR & Dongoh NAM

Zhang Hongfu: an artist over the boundaries...

2011-11-15T11:30:00.020+01:00

ZHANG HONGFU,

LAST BANQUET

(1989)

The painter is an american chinese who said hating propaganda. "Last Banquet" was painted shortly after the traumatic events of Tiananmen Square in t989 and clearly send-up the christian last supper. According to Jerome Silberg, an art critical, " This painting satirized the Communist deification of Mao Zedong and the sanctity of Mao's ideological scriptures. The irony of Mao's ideological rigidity, centered around his published writings and his "Little Red Book," was an all-Mao-all-the-time conformity in which Mao worshipped Mao and, in a self-initiated fall from grace, Mao betrayed Mao."

In 1990, responding to the Tiananmen massacre, a senatorial group sponsored an exhibition in Washington, to which Zhang Hongtu exhibited his Last Banquet. But a liberal senator from Massachusetts, Edward Kennedy, stopped the inclusion of this work as sacrilegious. What an irony! He was censored at an American exhibition protesting censorship in China.

This unfortunate event, however, helped him. The media’s extensive coverage of the ban allowed more people to see the painting. The Last Banquet, originally priced at $4000, was sold five years later for $50,000!

TWO PAINTINGS FROM UNITY AND DISCORD SERIES (1998)

Why attacked Mao Zedong? "I loved Mao," the artist said "Then I was very, very disappointed by Mao." He explains that it's difficult for outsiders to understand how profound was the disillusionment and sense of loss for Chinese artists and intellectuals who came of age during a time when Mao's promise of a new national beginning, after years of civil war, initially inspired tremendous hope.

But Zhang has never introduce himself as a dissident. Nonetheless, his image of Mao Zedong on a Quaker Oats canister, send-up Chairman Mao portraits completed in response to Beijing's denial of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, is today famous around the world as a indictment of Chinese propaganda. Nowadays, Zhang continues being an active artist and provoking through playful juxtapositions and uneasy conflations!

QUAKER OATS MAO FROM LONG LIVE CHAIRMAN MAO SERIES (1987)

Zhang Hongfu 's website: http://www.momao.com/

Tiananmen's Memory

2011-11-12T09:34:00.002+01:00

Here's an interesting article I found about the memory and possible reconsideration of the Tiananmen events.

The sole fact they could go to court seems really striking for me.

Protests & Oppositions during Deng Xiaoping's era of reforms

2011-11-07T22:17:00.003+01:00

Outline on our presentation

Introduction

Ø Deng Xiaoping takeover of the leadership of the CCP

Ø Declaration of a new Constitution

Ø Article (45) freedom of speech

Ø Move toward a more democratic and liberal speech

Ø First critics about the way the Party should move on, then critics went toward the Party itself and specially toward Deng Xiaoping

Ø In a short time of 6 months, the whole new debate move from a liberal one to a strict one

Ø What was going on in the Party? What was going on with the population?

I. Deng Xiaoping’s opening &Protests

A. 1978 till mid-80’s: Deng Xiaoping

o Deng Xiaoping’s opening up – politically and economically – toward more democracy in CCP

o A new Constitution is put in place

o Deng Xiaoping reaction’s to increasing criticism toward the Party

B. Demands from the opposition

o Demands from the opposition came mostly from the students who argued that in their state, without certain contacts they could not have access to certain high class jobs (a.k.a the Hu Ping’s case)

o Therefore, talks for a more modernized and liberalized economy and political system

o No more corruption and more job opportunities

II. Opposition & Tiananmen Square

A. Opposition groups & Party’s division

o Description and presentation of the main opposing groups formed during the 1980’s, and their characteristics

o Division among the CCP Party: Deng Xiaoping versus Zhao Ziyang

o The “in-between generation”

o Beijing People’s Liberation Movement – their goals and development of actions

B. Tiananmen Square

o Characteristics of the movement and event

o The principal leaders, both from the Opposition and the Party

o Both sides reactions and the resolution of the conflict and the demonstration

Conclusion

Ø In the presentation, so see you all there! ^___^'

Marie-Anaïs BATARD & Jean-Victor ROSSETTI

A few documents on the evolution of Chinese economy

2011-11-01T16:37:00.002+01:00

I know it's a little late, even though it's a holiday and we all have time to read^^ but I wanted to add some references to a few documents.

In Cecile Batisse's seminar, we had the occasion of talking about this topic. That's why I thought that I could give the references of those documents, for those who didn't take this seminar.

Even though most of the documents are given from an economist point of view, and sometimes difficult to read, because of the equations (sorry), they give a good view of the evolution of chinese economy and where the economy is at today. I feel like it's interesting to see what the transition of chinese economy lead to, even if it goes a little further on the subject than this week topic.

I thought those documents were interesting, as "companion " reading to the seminar douments.

Anyway, I put all the documents on the wiki, under the "documents for blog" folder.

Tomorrow's presentation

2011-11-01T15:22:00.002+01:00

Hi,

We give you the outline of our tomorrow's presentation about the turn at the death of Mao, and the reforms implemented under the impulsion of Deng Xiaoping.

From totalitarianism to market : on the road to reforms ?

I) Political turmoil in the 1970s

The succession of Mao : The party's inner struggles

Balance between the gun and the party : Consecration and fall of Lin Biao

The rise of Wang Hongwen

Deng's Xiaoping return : the sign of political instability ?

Mao's death and the future of Maoism

The interrim of Hua Guofeng

1978 : Deng Xiaoping's speech : the turning point ?

II) ReII) Reform in the 80’s : between pragmatism and theoretical heritage

An overture to the capitalist world

The commune system called into question

_ A geographical specialization

_ Contractual system : reintroduction of hierarchy and income inequality

The aperture to foreign investment

_ A limited success

_ Focused on the 4 SEZ

_ The questioning of the maoist independance

A past that conditioned the implementation and the elaboration of the reform

The salience of the central administration

_ The central control of the free enterprise

_ A slowly evolving mindset

A divided society

_ Conflict between diverging interest

_ geographical disparities

Have a good day,

Emmanuel Reix and Théo Gilson

Blog use: a few recommendations

2011-10-25T19:33:00.003+02:00

The seminar blog has become fairly active lately. This is all very positive and I can only encourage each of you to continue to contribute. The nature of post content varies a lot: highlighting news items, pointing out a resource (book, web site, and so on), etc. Quite a few are related to the upcoming session at the time of their posting. It is indeed part of the function of the blog (along with Twitter for "flash messages").

Another group of posts tends toward raising questions or initiating debates. The intention is good, but the approach is sometimes flawed. Let me explain. When posting on a given issue, your post should be based on reliable information and/or readings (which you should refer to). It should make clear the point you want to discuss or propose to discussion. The purpose should be to exercise critical thinking, not gut feelings or approximations about a problem you have come across. In other words, first make sure you got the problem right, which entails some reading. Then, as I mentioned previously, try to stay within the scope of the seminar. In general, it may not be a good idea to walk into issues that require far more substance (especially when dealing with today's Chinese society) than airing personal views. Last, leave aside value judgment, whatever your own feelings, and try to address the core issue at stake and shed some light on what might appear at first hand not comprehensible. Empathy is right, but reason must prevail in your analysis and assessment of issues.

The historical period that must not be named

2011-10-25T17:40:00.032+02:00

I would like to launch a debate:

Do you think nowadays, chinese propaganda talks about cultural revolution as a continuity or a discontinuity in the chinese communism's path ?

At Mao's death, the heritage of the cultural revolution was a political matter in a struggle between Maoists and Veterans as Deng Xiaoping. Denouncing maoist crimes during this period was the key to take office and rally people for the second group. That's why in 1981, to consolidate the victory of veterans, the 11st congress of the communist party adopted a resolution describing the cultural revolution as "a period of inner troubles originated wrongly by Mao and manipulated by counter revolutionaries groups"
"Reject Cultural revolution" became the motto.

For example, the governemental book "Tibet, 100 questions and answers" was published in 1988, only ten years after the end of the cultural revolution and distributed in several languages by the Chinese embassies all around the world . It depicts the chinese propaganda and the views shared inside the CCP at that time . One of the authors wrote :

"We have to not mix up the vandalism of red guards during the cultural revolution and the policy of protection and respect for the traditional culture of each ethnic community following at other times by chinese governement."

But criticizing cultural revolution became a way to criticize the authorities. After Tian'anmen's events, condamning cultural revolution appeared to be really subversive. In fact, students used arguments among cultural revolution 's criticals to ask for democratic reforms. To "not forget", intellectuals as Wang Youqin began to work on cultural revolution. It was not only a work on the past but also on the futur. Because writing on cultural revolution was a fight for Human Rights and the rule of Law, authorites took more and more measures to restrict it. For example, they arrested the chinese specialist of cultural revolution, Song Yongyi for spying.

In 2006, for the 40th anniversary of cultural

revolution ( 16th may 1966) , Medias, universities and book houses were instructed to not talk about it.

How do you think the way to talk about Cultural revolution

evoluates in China? Does the situation become worst for cultural revolution's historians because China fears a social dissatisfaction among chinese people ?

The Cultural Revolution

2011-10-25T13:24:00.000+02:00

Hi everybody,

wednesday, we are going to discuss about the Cultural Revolution. The whole powerpoint presentation has been posted on the PB works wiki space. The main issues that wiil be explain are: the origins, the organization and the consequences of the CR. Unfortunately in 15 minutes, we only have the time to focus on the essentials informations and we will not e able to speak about some CCP's members role during the CR as Lin Biao or Zhou Enlai... For those interesting aspects, we invite you to refer to the e-polycop's documents.

thank you and see you on monday

Farah & Anaïs

Rendez-vous avec X, la revolution culturelle chinoise

2011-10-24T23:44:00.004+02:00

Hello everybody.

Some of you may already know the very good France inter`s radio programme "Rendez-vous avec X". The subject of the 24 may 2008`s programme was the Chinese Cultural Revolution. I think it`s a good and well detailled summary of what happened then, and an original way to get informations about it.
I uploaded it on Zotero, so let your eyes have some rest after a full day reading and open your ears to the mesmerizing voice of Monsieur X.
See you wednesday.

A. Dreistadt

Zhou Enlai : a political life

2011-10-22T18:18:00.004+02:00

We widely discussed the role of Mao Zedong in Chinese contemporary history, but less about other actors. During the Cultural Revolution, by reading the text, we see how Mao wasn't alone to lead the "revolution" : Khang Sheng, Jiang Qing, Lin Biao, and so on.

As a part of our Zotero collection, I think we may not only focus of the "Great Leader" and also include other political actors in our thought. One of the main character in China's history was of course Zhou Enlai, the Premier of the PRC from 1949 to 1976. His path follows Mao's one on many ways, surviving to most of the purges including the Cultural revolutions' ones, despite his opposition to the Red Guard movement.

His life reflects a voluntarist fringe of the party (he participated in many purges) tinged with pragmatism (in his relations with Mao, but also in his economic vision). This book is another approach of Mao's Era, maybe to understand further the political appartus by another insight which is not focused on Mao.

Book review by Gilbert Etienne :
http://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=PE_073_0645&DocId=84634&Index=%2Fcairn2Idx%2Fcairn&TypeID=226&HitCount=18&hits=2360+235f+2340+233f+22ec+22eb+229a+2299+224d+224c+21f3+21f2+21c1+21c0+21b9+21b8+2185+2184+0&fileext=html#hit1

BARNOUIN Barbara and YU Changgen, Zhou Enlai : a Political Life, Hong Kong, The Chinese University Press, 2006, 398p.

Have a nice weekend !

Paradoxical attitude of the Party during the Cultural Revolution.

2011-10-20T14:57:00.002+02:00

Good afternoon everyone,

During the War Communism when China feared a Soviet attack, the « Health Campaign » was launched in 1968 to improve health conditions in the countryside. This campaign reveals the Party's paradoxical attitude toward villages. In fact, Chairman Mao claimed that villages needed to get suffisant access to health-care in rural areas. Nevertheless, it is important to notice that villages had to be economically self-reliants. The Mao's appeal inevitably led to a frenzied impetus in the countryside where clinics were built, urban doctors sent to rural areas.

While Wugong "model village" in Hebei province abolished its clinic registration fees, most of the surrounding villages, few months after the beginning of the campaign, could not cover anymore medical support for their inhabitants. Moreover, the villagers' rush at the clinics made it quickly overcrowded and less hygienic.

What is striking here is that the Party was eager to foster new revolutionnary campaigns in villages but without providing any economic support behind. The State implemented but remained in retreat, while giving the burden to villages' leaders. To me, this attitude does not embrace socialism.

If anyone has an opinion on that, it would be interesting. Thank you.

Aweful video but food for thoughts

2011-10-19T17:57:00.004+02:00

Hey everyone!

Enjoying the Todai Forum??? Well, while we're all busy, I wanted to show you that video which really shocked me!

It's a footage from a chinese CCTV showing a little girl getting ran over by a truck. Then no one does anything while she's bleeding to death for a few minutes in the middle of the street. When I first saw it on TV, they explained that the truck driver considered his options when he realized he had ran a little girl. He then decided that if the girl died, he would have to pay a fee that would be smaller compared to what he would have to pay should the girl live. That is why he decided to keep driving over her.

I think that even if this is hard to watch, and understand, it's interesting because it puts forward a number of issues. What is this society obsessed with money? How, in a supposedly communist country, can people value money over the life of a child? How can people just stand idly by? What does it say about chinese society? What does it say about the change from an ideal society where children should be raised and protected by the community, to one where no one cares that a little girl is ran over and bleeds to death in the street.

So anyway, here's the link to the video. I really hope that you'll watch it and comment, because I wish I could have your thoughts on that. I just don't understand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqVYUzHc5L8

Last week issues

2011-10-15T17:21:00.013+02:00

I have briefly summarized issues and answers we raised last week. You can add anything you want and help me to improve it.

China India short war, 1962

2011-10-12T15:00:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone,

I was surprised through this week readings to learn that a short but real war occured between China and India in 1962. This conflict was in particular a consequence of the Chinese military repression in Tibet in 1959, since borders with India remained a source of latent tension. Both sides kept asserting that the other side had initiated provokations. Anyway the issue of the conflict was a clear demonstration of the PLA superiority under the leadership of Lin Biao.
Here I share two links of a short documentary film about this conflict.

part1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgfFpojG4GM

part2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XstW0q0efY4

Thibaud

The CCP celebrates the centenary of the 1911 revolution.

2011-10-12T00:04:00.001+02:00

Yestersay, China celebrated the centenary of the 1911 revolution that ended long years of dynasties. Together with the revolution, came a new form of power within China that embodied the new. In fact, the Republic of China led by Sun-yat-sen allowed China to get rid of « people's blind faith in the emperor and the fears of foreign powers » which considerably caused a breakdown with the past. On monday, the CCP's leaders gathered under a huge picture of Sun Yatsen. It underlines the fact that the founder of « modern China » is still in all chinese people's minds.

The Republic of China embodied the first step of China's shifts and further created an impetus for hopes and changes.(http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/10/10/awkward-anniversary-china-marks-the-centenary-of-1911-revolution/).

I suggest you to read this article!

Un peu de littérature.

2011-10-11T15:33:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone,
I guess the IAO documentation must be keeping a couple of copies of this, but to make it easier I found a website presenting a selection of works and short stories written by Lu Xun, a very important figure of the early 20th century China.
These short stories are available freely, in english, and are rather interesting with regard to the social and intellectual context of China in the 20's.
I recommend "A Madman's diary"; "kong I-Ji" and "the true sory of AQ". His preface to his collection of novels "a call to arms" is also rather interesting for the depiction he gave of chinese society at the time. Perhaps drawing a parallel with contemporary Chinese society would be not much of a joke...
Anyway, here is the link to the website
See you tomorrow.
Victor
PS: Here is a funny article by Lu Xun I found on an other website about the famous Chinese expression “他妈的”- " tāmāde " . You can also find there a lot of novels translated in english.

2011-10-11T09:23:00.003+02:00

Hi everybody

I just want to present quickly an historical book written by Jacques Guillermaz and titled « Histoire du Parti communiste chinois. Des origines à la conquête du pouvoir 1921-1949 ».

That book is very detailed and complete. The author explains clearly all the interactions and interests involved during this period.

If you want to add your knowledge of whole period or just one element of the ascent of PCC, you can have a glance at this book.

2011-10-10T16:24:00.002+02:00

Hi everybody,

To follow Sarah's post, here are the core ideas we will discuss on wednesday's presentation. You will find several quotations from the documents Mr Henriot posted, as well as those we posted on Zotero.We will post the whole powerpoint presentation on the PB works wiki space and we will of course explain further during the presentation..

I From a socialist utopia to a debacle : The Great Leap Forward

A. The ideal of the Great Leap Forward

" Hard work for a few years, happiness for a thousand " (FRIEDMAN, p. 218 - 219)

B. What happened ?

"" This is not the way to do Farm Work" (SEYBOLT, chapter 4).

II. Radicalization of the CCP: the road to the Cultural Revolution

A. The Hundred Flowers and the Anti-Rightist Campaign

« What is a rightist? » Some guessed that a rightist must be someone opposed to collectivization (...). It turned out that all educated people were vulnerable to class degradation. » (FRIEDMAN, p.204)

B. The consequences of the GLF and the Party Rectification

Enjoy !

Sarah and Nicolas

Utopia and radicalization: a preview of wednesday's presentation

2011-10-10T14:53:00.003+02:00

Hello everyone!!!

We're posting the first preview of wednesday's presentation. We've already posted about what radicalization of the CCP meant for us. But we don't have the time, knowledge or materials to cover it all.

Since Nicolas and I aren't specialists of China, we've decided to focus on the texts we were given and to focus on 2 main issues: The Great Leap Forward, or when a dream turns into a nightmare, and what we called the "road to the Cultural Revolution", with the radicalization of the CCP.

On that second issue, we decided to look a little back on the Hundred Flowers Campaign. We know it was part of last week's readings, but we scarcely talked about it in class. We felt that it was difficult to consider the Anti-Rightist movement without talking about the Hundred flowers so we put it in our presentation.

We hope that it will give you an idea of what to expect, and if you're not done with your readings yet, that it will inspire other questions that we can discuss together in class!!!

Next-up, a rapid presentation summary with quotes from the texts that helped us make our reflexions!!

Nicolas and Sarah

Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang

2011-10-10T12:53:00.000+02:00

Zhao Ziyang Memoirs

2011-10-10T12:32:00.004+02:00

Hi everybody,

I was reading the newspaper Le Monde the thursday 6th of october 2011 when i felt on a full page presenting the memoirs of Zhao Ziyang. These memoirs have just been traduced in french. The english version was published in 2010. Maybe some of you are aware of this english publication since last year. I have to say that i am just discovering it. For the ones that didn't know about the existence of the written memoirs of the former number one of the chinese communist party just before the Tian an men massacre, i think this book can give much informations of what happened inside the party during the tragic event. I have not read it yet. I will read it soon.
I join to this message a photo of the english version of the book and a video link presenting it to the public.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E506h7-zuns

Balzac et la Petite Tailleuse chinoise

2011-10-09T17:51:00.005+02:00

To follow Marion’s post on the brutal side of intellectuals treatment, I would like today to briefly present a book I read about the Cultural Revolution. It is not anything really serious like an historic or scientific book but through three young people we can learn a lot about this period without too much pain. The french title is «Balzac et la Petit Tailleuse chinoise », written by Dai Sijie (Folio).

Two young scholars are send in 1968 to the countryside in order to be reeducated. They found a big trunk full of western books and they start to teach a young girl and to read her Balzac and other French famous writers. The power of the reading is going growing in the young girl mind and the more she learns the more she wants to ask questions.

I do not want to tell more about the story, because I am not sure if it is really the purpose of the blog but this book shows many things. How the Cultural Revolution worked, how people could distrust one to each others, and how life was still going on despite difficulties…

If anyone want to read it, I can lend it.

A Mao quote

2011-10-07T19:41:00.008+02:00

In 1958, one year after the end of the hundred flowers campaign, Mao Zedong spoke to the party . Regarding the brutal side of his treatment of intellectuals, chinese people made a historical comparison with Qin Shi Huang, china's rationalizing and unifying first emperor . Like the first emperor, the chairman reunited a long-divided country and launched projects meant to restart a crippled nation with as much brutal authority. Mao aimed to sinify Marxism by placing it within the context of chinese history, thought and litterature.

“He buried 460 scholars alive; we have buried forty-six thousand scholars alive... You [intellectuals] revile us for being Qin Shi Huangs. You are wrong. We have surpassed Qin Shi Huang a hundredfold "

Radicalization : a key issue in China’s contemporary history

2011-10-06T13:36:00.004+02:00

Next week presentation will deal with the topic of “radicalization and utopia”, referring to the well known Great Leap Forward (GLF).

As you may have not finished the reading of the documents yet, it is early to work on the GLF itself; but as an introduction, we would like you to discuss an element of the title, “radicalization” inside the party, and how it is a key explanation of RPC policy. We will first debate on its place in PRC history, and then try to give some explanations on its recurrence.

As I am sure you already know, there are several examples of radicalization in the recent Chinese history (after 1949). One can remind the GLF, indeed, and how Mao decided during the November 1958 Conference to continue the experience. The same radicalization happened during the hundred flowers movement, the Cultural Revolution, and also for the Tiananmen’s events. Of course, in a strong and authoritarian state, there are few places for contestation. What call us here is how systematic can be the radicalization: for which reasons?

We amply discussed the role of ideology in this blog, debating if it was the core issue of PRC policy, or a simple tool to mobilize masses. It is, indeed, a way to explain radicalization. Another one, based on a more political way, is in two elements: first, the radicalization is not necessarily based on ideology, but is rather a political tool, to radically solve a rising issue, in a struggling perspective of policy. Also, radicalization has been systematical as the fear of the PRC to lose control had brought it to think that any contest of its policy was an opposition to its very legitimacy. The example of the hundred flowers is here very clear here, as we saw it.

We will add new articles on zotero soon, on this topic and on the GLF. Don’t forget to post on it !

Nicolas and Sarah

presentation summary : consolidation and transition of the CCP regime

2011-10-04T21:58:00.002+02:00

hi everyone,
sorry for this little delay. Here is the presentation of the main themes of the period we will be treating more thoroughly tomorrow in class. It comes mainly from our readings of the texts.

1 - Stabilization period - Early transition: 1949-52.
A- Consolidation of power.

Establishment of a government of the people's republic of China. "Democratic dictatorship" through the Chinese People Consultative Political Conference (CPCPC).
Extension of the CCP control: spread party membership, Six regional governments headed by party officials, mass organizations, mobilization of the masses.
Social reforms: Marriage law/ equality of women, language reform (putong hua), Literacy campaigns.
Mass campaigns: Thought reform of intellectuals, Three-anti/ Five-anti campaigns, anti-counterrevolutionaries campaigns.
Soviet Alliance and treaty of friendship: february 14th 1950.

B- Economic reforms

Price stabilization (inflation).
Land-reform extended to the "new liberated areas".
First steps of nationalization of industry. Nationalization of banking.

2- Planned economy and ideologization of the reform - 1953 -1957
A- Towards a socialist economy

Stabilization of the institutions; socialism enshrined in the constitution (art.4).
First five year plan (1953-1957) adopted.
Collectivization of the land.

B- Ideological trends:

From the "second front" to Mao's overwhelming figure.
Breaking of the united front policy : The "Anti" campaigns.
From the sovietic modernization to a Chinese modernization?
Evolution of the sino-sovietic relationship with the death of Stalin.
The hundred flowers: From " a hundred schools of thought" to one crushing ideology.

See you tomorrow.
Victor and Thibauld.

Korean war and chinese intervention

2011-10-04T10:51:00.002+02:00

I think that this is a little side issue....anyway,

In the book of FREDERICK C. TEIWES, there is the sentense below :

" (in late 1950) From that time, roughly corresponding with the Chinese entry into the Korean War, the CCP's social programs intensified, mass movements were launched, and the regime penetrated society in a much more through manner than initially"

I don't know what the precise meaning of this is. In other words, does it mean that PLA's intervention the Korean war directly/indirectly promoted PRC's consolidation and reconstruction? or that despite the entry into the Korean war, PRC set a solid foundation to build strong socialist construction?

As all of you know, at the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950, the China was devasted by long hard anti-Japanese war and civil war. PLA was absolutely inferior to the US army in terms of military power. Moreover, CCP leaders was grappling with still unresolved questions to restore China's greatness. Could the China afford to enter the war?

In this situation, I don't exactly know what the China induced to the war at the cost of many lives(about 340000 chinese soldiers were dead) and a massive budget. because of Stalin's recommendation? or Kim il-sung(chairman of North Korea)'s SOS? for the benefit of self-defense of Chinese against the threat of US anticommunism(imperialism)? or for lauching China people's mass movement in earnest with the entry to the war?

Anyany, history says that Chinese intervention the Korean war was a lucrative business. I also agree with it, but I'm afraid I don't understand the causal relationship between these two facts.

Dongoh NAM

CCP ideology: a back and forth policy?

2011-10-03T12:17:00.002+02:00

I wanted to ask if any of you felt like there is no actual background or core to the CCP ideology. The more I read, the more I feel like the party changes it's mind all the time, that yesterday's foes are becoming today's heroes, that following today's political agenda will lead you to be considered as an enemy of the people tomorrow?

In the various texts, whenever the authors considered Mao's or the Party's point of view, I felt that they were explaining that basically, they changed their mind every now and then. They gave the people such wide narratives that they could have very broad and different interpretations over the time.

Is it just me, or does someone else feel like they can say whatever they want, or say the exact opposite of what they were saying and nobody can argue it? And how, then, can they form a real ideological base?

The rise to power

2011-10-03T11:02:00.006+02:00

Just before the next class (and a bit late) I would like to share an image I have made in order to summarize the rise to power of the CCP. I have tried to mixed all the important stages I have found thanks to the documents. Please, tell me if I missed something.

If the image is too small, you can make it bigger with on click: it will be opened in a new window.

Reflexion on 'Maoïsm'

2011-10-02T17:04:00.002+02:00

I'm not a specialist of China’s history and the chinese communism but more I read about Mao’s ideology and the emergence of the term Maoïsm, more I realize it’s very important to distinguish how it was applied and perceived at that time and the actual perception. As pointed by Marion, we have to wait the seventies, i.e. the last few years of the life of Mao, to see a critical review published about him and his policies.

I think that the Mao’s genius was to keep its distance from a pure Marxism-Leninism to adapt it to the chinese context and the chinese society. As we can see in 1950, with the land reform that was launched to redistribute the lands to the peasants. However, the Maoïsm had some limits: the Great Leap Forward project in 1956 was not a success, certainly because at that time, China was not ready to become a great power as she is now. Nevertheless, the Mao’s desire to “upgrade” China at the same level of the industrial countries had a strong influence on the chinese collective thought. Maybe that can be one of the role that can be attribute to Mao…What do you think?

By the way, what is Maoism ? (a quick introduction)

2011-10-01T14:58:00.000+02:00

The more i read about it, the more i think it isreally confusing. To answer about Nicolas's post, the real debate whether thereis or not an Mao's ideology would consist of the study of Maoism. I thinkwe should debate about this in order to comprehend the real basis of what weare studying by defining some terms as communism, marxism, maoism etc.

I can remember that some of french famous"debaters" on the TV were quite proud to talk about their youth inthe Maoist movement in the late 70's. By that time you had about two ways of"struggle" against American "imperialism", to be close fromMoscow or from Beijing.

First of all, i checked Wikipedia (Iknow that it's not a real "source" but a good introduction). As inthe Lieberthal's article, the main points of Maoism are : to make large scalecampaigns, the egalitarian ideal and the personality of Mao. At no pointLieberthal is quoting these facts as Maoism. The -ism added to Mao seemsrelevant if we could find a real ideology on Mao's thoughts. On theinternational scale, we all heard about Maoist "guerilleros" inNepal, India or Philippines. Some of them succeeded (as in Nepal throughoutdemocratic elections.) Maoism would be primarily originated from theMarxist-Leninist theory coupled with Chinese intellectual and culturalideas/traditions. Maoism AKA Mao Zedong's Thought would result in aMao's objection to the application of Marxism in the USSR as i quote :

"A theory and practice which claims to be anadvancement of Marxism, developed as a critique of the Soviet Union. While Mao Zedong (1893-1976) valued Stalinas a “great Marxist-Leninist”, he explained Stalin committed some crucialerrors:

He did not understand dialectics and ended upin metaphysics. He hence sometimes did not understand the demands of themasses. He did not distinguish between the different kinds ofcontradictions.
During the 30’s the regime of Stalinsentenced many innocents to death.
He did not conduct democratic centralismwithin the party good enough.
He did not handle the connections withforeign Communist parties well enough, especially his handling of the 1927events in China."

(Marxist.org)

What we can think about this definition is thatthere is no mention to ideology which is "atheory, or set of beliefs or principles, especially one on which a politicalsystem, party or organization is based" (Cambridge Dictionary). Ideology is a strong termbut always in connection with a political dimension. Mao's thought, in order totransform and "develop" its country would totally be fine with thisdefinition as he first, theorized the way to access to this ideal State andthen, mobilized these ideas by mobilizing the masses to achieve his goals.

Maoism is also set in a lot ofguerilla's group. We could say that this ideology is an international one aswell. This ideology, first born in PRC exported itself in thethird-world. These countries suffers from several civil wars resulting of thetension between two ennemies : one party against the maoist forces (moreinformation about Maoism guerrilla warfare) .

So to summarize after severalGoogle searches (trying not to go on purely political motivated websites), somemain points are distinguished :

People's war : Mobilizing the masses in order to access to the power.
New Democracy : In order to achieve the socialist state, any country should first build a strong and powerful state (on economical, cultural and intellectual progress) and then "pure" socialist state can emerge.
Cultural Revolution : what Liberthal called the struggle strategy of Mao. In order to succeed, the class struggle (for example "Smash the old, establish the new") the masses and the elites have to feel threatened through the struggle.
Three world theory : The guerilla's theory i tried explained before.
Communism and populism (latter critics) : the Maoism ideology is confronted to populism and the unique character of Mao. The 50's seems to be the transitional phase of the Mao's era, from a revolutionary point of view to a complete dictatorial personified State.

The final topic i will try to introduce is theutopian theory role in Maoism. Maurice Meisner wrote "Marxism,Maoism, and Utopianism: Eight Essays. Madison: University of WisconsinPress, 1982." The ambiguity and contradictions are present under Mao'slife and history : between the strong state side and the bureaucracy, theelites and the poor, the campaigns once against the bottom, once against theelites or the elder. I would recommend to you this article about it.

Maoismis a really complex ideology and as every ideology, it evolved from its originsto the present. What we could distinguish is between these contradictions to explain Maoism :

Domestic and international maoism.
The struggle betweenthe masses and the elites
Balance of conservatism, reformism, marxism and utopia duringMao's era

Do nothesitate to answer. I'm opened to critics, i just tried to open up this widedebate which includes the whole history of post-revolution period in China andthis post is just to sum up what we could call Maoism, a full mixed ideology ofsocialism for me. DO you agree with this ?

Learn more about Mao's biographies

2011-09-30T20:32:00.003+02:00

I recommend the article " Mao, objet historique" of Alain Roux

He explained how changed the way to write a Mao's biography during the last half of 20th. The shift depended specially on which kind of documents was available for authors. Biographies were a lot more positive just after the revolution than in 70's, when the world found out the excesses of Mao's presidency. In fact, first critical books ( as " Les habits du président Mao" of Simon Leys in 1971) created a true shock among historians, reversing the old tendancy of consensus.

This article disclosed also difficulties of writing a biography about a famous political leader. Positive or negative, the biography seems always to talk about someone superhuman.

An other pittfall is giving a too big cohesion to the fate of man after knowing the end of the story: the victory of CCP and the establishment of a strong state in China. Alain Roux calls that a " Biographical utopia"

Do you think is it possible to be objective when you write the history of a political figure?

"Mao, objet historique" of Alain Roux

Vingtième Siècle. Revue d'histoire

2009/1 (n° 101)

I.S.B.N. 9782724631326

Reflexions on the ideology in the revolution and after

2011-09-30T14:24:00.004+02:00

I'm currently reading the documents for the next two weeks (on the consolidation, and for the great leap forward, which will be my presentation). I know it is soon to examine further the Great Leap Forward, but it might be relevant to think on the place of ideology in those three steps of chinese history : revolution, consolidation and the great leap.

Indeed, Sarah pointed out on the precedent comment how Mao Zedong didn't succeed in the revolution because of the support of communism ideology by the population, but rather because "some events happened and led to this rise" (i'm quoting).
Liberthal's document, "Governing China", explains further Mao's ideology, and we learn how pragmatic the leader was, even if he had some beliefs.
The Great Leap Forward's documents highlight the role of Mao in this policy (and why he decided not to stop it), but also the zealotry of some peasants and the pressure of the group.

What I would like to say here is that our vision of what we call Maoism might be irrelevant, as the propaganda calls us to think that Mao was the only leader and that everybody backed his position. What is the real role of Mao Zedong in all those policies ? Did the population acted because of a true belief in Mao's ideology ? They apparently didn't act so during the revolution, what about after ?

I don't know whether i made myself clear, please tell me what do you think about all of this.

Nicolas

Reflexions on the "first" class

2011-09-28T16:11:00.002+02:00

Hi everyone,

This first "actual" class gave me a lot of food for thought. And to continue further the debate we were having, I thought some of us didn't have the time to give their view on the idea that the Chinese Revolution was not a "real" Revolution. The blog might be the right place to continue this discussion.

To be honest, I'm not a specialist of China, and I don't know much about Chinese communism. And it startled me to see that the rise of the CCP was due to the war, more than to the ideological struggle, that the CCP was nearly dead before the war. As far as I am concerned, the image of Mao's communism is one of a strong, powerful and crushing force that overwhelmed China.

After today's discussion, I see the rise of the CCP as something that happened not because of the will of one person, as talented as Mao might have been, but because there was a sum of events that happened and led to this rise. When we were discussing the economical context, I realized that perhaps, people didn't turn to the CCP because they wanted to, but because they had to cooperate in order to survive.

Finally, when we talked about nationalism being more of a factor than communism ideology, it made me think of something I heard about chinese people considering that they were "all Hans", and that chinese people need some unity. Is this something that can be used to understand the rise of the CCP? I don't know...

What do you think? What of the global class?

Opening of the "Chinese Communism" Blog (ASIAOC)

2011-09-20T23:19:00.000+02:00

This is one of the virtual spaces where I invite you to interact during this semester. This blog will serve as a forum for exchange and communication on the readings and seminar sessions.

It is open to all participants in the seminar. You are expected to make a frequent use of it and post observations, questions, comments, notes of humor, proposals, etc.

This blog is open for educational purposes in connection with the seminar. Even if you have great ideas about the universe or the best recipe for eggplant caviar, please reserve this this to your blog.

Be sure to create an RSS feed or alarm (Google Reader, Yahoo pipe, etc.) to keep you automatically informed of the new "posts" on the blog.