60 Years of Red China

On October 1,1949,Mao Zedong,speaking from the balcony of Beijings crumbling Imperial Palace,declared that a century of turmoil,war and famine was over. As the Peoples Republic of China celebrates its 60th anniversary,ALIA ALLANA looks at the major milestones in Chinas 60-year-long march....

1957: The Great Leap Forward

Based on Maos vision of a China that would outrun the West,the Great Leap Forward policy was wrought with difficulties. Primary amongst them was unrealistic targets. He directed farmers to build backyard pig-iron furnaces across the countrys agricultural regions,triggering a massive famine,in which between 16.5 mn and 40 mn people died. The policy also divided the party and masses as those who rebelled against it were routinely executed. Collective farming and a communal living resulted in a utopian fantasy,rather than a defined practical policy.

Profile: Mao

Born in 1893,Mao witnessed his country undergo social and economic upheavals,first under the dwindling Qing dynasty and later under the policies of the nationalist party,Kuomintang. From humble beginnings to being crowned the head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following the Long March of the 1930s,Maos thoughts have been summarised in his Red Book and Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People. Mao managed a tough balancing act between factions who attempted to remove him from power. In his autobiography,Mao claims that only the revolt by the masses would have saved the imminent dismemberment of China.

The Cultural Revolution

Following the failures of the Great Leap Forward,the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was Maos ultra-leftist attempt to silence his critics. Academic life was brought to a halt,agricultural and industrial production slowed down. As the Chairmans image loomed large,the period gave rise to the Cult of Mao. Thousands of youths clutched onto Maos Red Book as they chanted,Yes,yes to all the Chairmans demands.

Profile: Liu Shaoqi

Was second in line to Mao Tse-tung and his heir apparent. Liu was a devoted follower of the Mao school of thought and was with him during the Long March. But the excesses of the Great Leap Forward saw him distance himself from the Chairman. The Cultural Revolution saw his fall from grace.

Political uncertainty and the rise of Jiang Qing

The Cultural Revolution and its aftermath saw a bitter struggle for power between the more moderate members of the CCP and the Gang of Four,a faction of the CCP led by Maos third wife Jiang Qing. The conflict between the moderates in the CCP and the leadership peaked during this time. A policy of indoctrination followed as students were encouraged to criticise dissenters. During this period,the Gang of Four dominated the CCP.

Profile: Jiang Qing

Maos third wife took control of politics during the Cultural Revolution and consolidated power as the head of the Gang of Four. In the 1940s,she was head of the Film Section and later in the 1950s,was in control of the CCP propaganda department. The Cultural Revolution saw her climb up the ranks though she remained committed to the art and culture scene. After a public trial under the leadership of Deng Xiaopingfor her role in stifling the artsled to a life sentence,she committed suicide in 1991.

1972: Engaging the West:

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The Mao-Nixon relationship opened the doors of China to the West. Notably,Richard Nixon remarked,I will be known for two things: Watergate and the opening of China. Both Nixon and Mao had predicted that events would play out where neither country could ignore the others presence. As early as 1956,Mao announced that in 12 years,Britain,America,West Germany and Japan will all want to do business with us.

Profile: Zhou En Lai

Though both Nixon and Mao commanded centre-stage,premier Zhou,as the man in charge of Chinas foreign policy,was both the under-dog and the go-to-guy. Urban and sensible,it was Zhous behind-the-scene talks with the Nixon administration that opened the doors for the normalisation of relations between China and the US.

1989: Tiananmen Square:

The iconic image of students at Tiananmen Square,protesting against the rule of the CCP,is ingrained in memory. Dissent was not limited to the youth and intellectuals: rebel members of the CCP too defected. The divisions in the party were stark as former Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang was dismissed for criticising the leadership.

Profile: Zhao Ziyang

He served as premier from 1980-87 and is the unsung hero of Chinese economic reform. Ziyang believed that China was too big to be ruled by democracy,yet advocated citizen involvement. He was viewed as the hero of student protests. As tanks rolled into the streets of Beijing,a dejected Ziyangs last public statement was Im very sorry. Ive come too late.

CHINA TODAY

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Deng Xiaopings Four Modernisationshis four reform goalschanged the political,economical and social landscape of China. Chinas high growth rate can be accredited to the reforms Deng initiated under his leadership. The Chinese economy today is one of the three largest economies of the world. However,there are fears accompanying such momentous growth,primary among them is the environment. The country produces three-fourths of its electricity from coal. A 2007 Chinese government report maintains Chinas increasing carbon emissions should be allowed to continue rising until 2030. However,at the UN Climate Change Forum,China announced ambitious caps. Political dissent and protests still linger. Rather than the populous calls for democratisation,its the marginalised ethnic groups,the Tibetans and the Uighurs,who have been most vociferous in their sense of alienation.