Das Essay untersucht die politische Entwicklung China seit Gründung der PRC unter Mao Zedong bis zur Öffnung Chinas und seiner Modernisierung unter Deng Xiaoping. Dazu werden die Rolle des Staates bzw. der Kommunistischen Partei, die zentrale Frage der Wirtschaftspolitik sowie die Rolle Chinas in den internationalen Beziehungen und seine Strategie in einer sich ändernden weltpolitischen Lage, untersucht.
Table of Contents
1. Communist Rule under Mao
1.1 State Power and Leadership: Legitimacy of Proletarian Dictatorship
1.2 Economic policy: Mass Mobilisation and Modernisation
1.3 Foreign Policy: Defence of China and Spread of Communism
2. Communist Rule under Deng
2.1 State Power and Leadership: Liberalisation from above
2.2 Economic Policy: Setting wider ideological Limits
2.3 Foreign Policy: Enhancing China’s strength by Cooperation
3. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Topics
The primary goal of this essay is to analyze the historical continuities between the political, economic, and foreign policy frameworks of the Mao Zedong era (1949–1976) and the subsequent era of Deng Xiaoping (until 1997), examining how ideology served to legitimize CCP rule across both periods.
- The evolution of Chinese state power and the maintenance of leadership legitimacy.
- Contrasting Maoist mass mobilization with Deng's economic liberalization policies.
- The transition from ideological foreign policy to pragmatic international cooperation.
- The structural impact of party authority on societal development and civil society.
- Evaluation of the "totalitarian" versus "authoritarian" nature of the Chinese state.
Excerpt from the Book
State Power and Leadership: Legitimacy of Proletarian Dictatorship
After abolishing the Kuomintang regime in 1949, the construction of a communist China should establish a new order. Campaigns initiated by the CCP and driven by the masses constituted the vehicle to establish and advance communist power and policies in the 1950s (Dreyer 2000: p. 81-82; Strauss 2006: p. 893-894). Thus, early communist politics were determined by the attempt to build new structures which aimed to achieve social change towards communism. The CCP could legitimise itself as the institution which had to lead the society to its ultimate purpose. Every element which was not compliant with the communist ideology could be suppressed. As a result, the party had to educate the public in order to consolidate values which served communist ideals (Mitter 2004: p. 187-188; Karl 2010: p. 74-75). The phase of state building was characterised by the unity of the party. Steady progress until 1957 also consolidated Mao’s power within the party and the conviction of the CCP to be on the track to communism (Teiwes 1997: p. 5-8). Mao’s concept of a communist revolution postulated economic growth in order to push the peasants into economic and technological modernity. Likewise, the peasants themselves should be the creator of industrialisation instead of a pre-dominant bourgeoisie. Accordingly, the CCP decreed the industrialisation, whereupon a bourgeois rule did not need to be overthrown as outlined in Marx’ theory. Thereby, China could pace faster toward communism by continuous revolution driven by peasants (Schram 1994: p. 128-132; Mitter 2004: p. 198; Karl 2010: 101-103).
Summary of Chapters
1. Communist Rule under Mao: This section explores how Mao utilized mass campaigns and ideological rigidity to consolidate party power and reshape Chinese society towards communist ideals.
2. Communist Rule under Deng: This section analyzes how Deng introduced economic reforms and limited pluralism while maintaining the CCP’s absolute authority and ideological core.
3. Conclusion: This section synthesizes the findings, arguing that while contexts shifted significantly, the underlying structure of party dominance remained a critical continuity.
Keywords
Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, CCP, Communist China, Totalitarianism, Authoritarianism, Economic Liberalization, Foreign Policy, Mass Mobilization, Ideology, Tiananmen Square, State Power, Sovereignty, Social Transformation, Socialist Ideals
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this essay?
The essay examines the political and historical continuities between the era of Mao Zedong and the era of Deng Xiaoping, focusing specifically on state power, economic policy, and foreign relations.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers the evolution of leadership legitimacy, the impact of economic strategies on society, the shift in international engagement, and the transformation of party authority.
What is the main research question?
The primary research question asks which specific continuities can be identified between Mao's China (1949–1976) and Deng's rule until 1997 regarding political, economic, and foreign policies.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The author uses a comparative historical analysis, examining state-party dynamics, economic reforms, and diplomatic shifts to assess whether the Chinese state transitioned from a totalitarian system to an authoritarian one.
What is discussed in the main body of the text?
The main body is divided into two sections comparing Mao's era—characterized by mass mobilization and strict ideology—with Deng's era, characterized by limited liberalization and a shift toward global cooperation.
How are the key arguments summarized by the author?
The author concludes that while significant changes occurred, the CCP maintained its authority by redefining its ideological legitimacy to ensure social and political stability.
How did Deng's approach to the "General Secretary" position differ from Mao's?
Deng reorganized the CCP by abolishing the chairman position in favor of a "General Secretary" to promote collective decision-making and impede the development of a personality cult.
Why does the author argue that the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident proves the persistence of party authority?
The author argues that the state's violent response to demonstrations reveals that when party authority and socialist principles were actively contested, the CCP prioritized its absolute control over societal pluralism.
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- Julian Ostendorf (Autor:in), 2011, Continuties between Mao Zedong's China and Deng Xiaoping's China, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/174411
