Modern China Notes and Questions
Name: ____________________________
Read the notes. Answer the CONNECTIONS questions and the questions at the end of the notes.
China Opens Up to the World
Between 16th -18th century, European imperialism grew in China.
European countries wanted access to China’s products. Missionaries were also sent to China to convert
Chinese to Christianity.
Using military force, Europeans took advantage of the Chinese and made them sign treaties which gave
Europeans special privileges.
China was carved up into spheres of influence: areas controlled by Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and
Japan
CONNECTIONS: WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD HAVE WE DISCUSSED THE EUROPEANS CARVING UP REGIONS?
By the early 20th century, anger was rising in China about outside control.
The Boxer Rebellion of 1900
o Chinese militants attacked and killed Europeans and Chinese Christians in China
o A foreign multinational force of about 20,000 soldiers finally defeated the Chinese.
The Qing Dynasty’s inability to restrain foreign powers and improve economic conditions meant it had lost
the Mandate of Heaven.
1912 ended Qing rule - the last dynasty to rule China.
20th Century China Political History
1912 the Chinese Nationalist Party was formed and led a revolution.
Ended Qing rule (the last Chinese dynasty)
Formed a republic
Also in the early 1900’s the Communist Party was formed in China.
At first the Communists and Nationalists worked together to fight regional warlords, and then the Japanese
who occupied China in WWII
The Japanese occupation of China during WWII resulted in 6 million Chinese deaths.
After the WW2, the Nationalists and Communists fought each other for power.
1949, the Communists, under leader Mao Zedong, defeated the Nationalists for control:
o Mao renamed China the People’s Republic of China with the capital of Beijing.
o The Nationalists fled to Taiwan and declared the city of Taipei to be the temporary capital of
China. The Nationalists planned to retake all of China but this did not happen.
China remains run by the Communist Party whose leader is the General Secretary of the Party. However,
modern China is not like China under Mao’s rule.
Maoism – 1949-1976
Mao controlled China until 1976 when he died
Implemented Maoist radicalism (extremism)
"Great Leap Forward“ (Mao’s 5 year economic plan)
o Farming was collectivized
o people were forced into industry
o Quotas were set for production
This plan did NOT work
Huge and costly economic breakdown
Disrupted agriculture which resulted in 20-30 million people starving
CONNECTIONS: WHAT DO THESE STRATEGIES OF MAO’S REMIND YOU OF?
Mao’s image suffered in China after failure of Great Leap
To reassert his power and put down opposition, he launched the "Cultural Revolution“ 1966-1976
He created a Cult of Personality using propaganda to brainwash the youth into thinking Mao was godlike and
to inspire them to return to communist ideals.
Known as the Red Guards, the youth persecuted or attacked anyone they considered antirevolutionary.
Resulted in 1.5 million people killed and millions of others suffered imprisonment, seizure of property,
torture or general humiliation, and Chinese fleeing the country.
CONNECTIONS: WHAT DO THESE STRATEGIES OF MAO’S REMIND YOU OF?
Government Policies after Mao "Poverty is not socialism. To be rich is glorious.” Deng Xiaoping
Maintain Communist/Socialist political structure
o Authoritarian government
o Control the press/media/internet
o Reform the economy using capitalist strategies to become a wealthy country
Control China’s population growth
o One Child Policy
CONNECTION: HOW ARE THESE POLICIES SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT FROM GORBACHEV’S POLICIES IN THE
SOVIET UNION?
Tiananmen Square 1989
On May 13, 1989, several students began a hunger strike at Tiananmen Square in Beijing
Demands of the students included:
o more democracy
o less corruption
o accurate press coverage
On May 20, the government declared martial law in Beijing
The army's advance towards the city were blocked by large numbers of students and ordinary citizens
June 3-4, troops received orders to reclaim Tiananmen Square no matter the costs
Soldiers opened fire that night on ordinary Chinese citizens trying to block the army's advance as well as
those simply shouting at troops.
Due to a lack of witnesses, the exact number of people killed is not known
o China claimed 200
o Amnesty International said 1,000
CONNECTION: WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THE CITIZENS’ DESIRE FOR MORE DEMOCRACY, HOW WERE
CHINA’S GOVERNMENT POLICIES SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT TO THE SOVIET UNION’S POLICIES?
Changes to Society
Loosening of Communist Party regulations after Tiananmen Square Massacre
Goal was to take anger towards the government away
More choices of jobs but also higher unemployment and instability as government run industries have ended
and private industry has increased.
Western lifestyle became “middle class.”
Life in rural areas remained unchanged.
Social discontent is mainly by farmers and workers who are exploited.
China is now a major player in the global economy and globalization.
Majority of population live in eastern China where farming is the strongest and the major cities are located.
2nd largest energy consumer in the world and largest consumer of coal
Increase in environmental destruction.
Government corruption remains as well as accusations of human rights violations.
Today’s “One China Policy” (The outcome of the Communists vs. Nationalists of 1949)

Taiwan remains a point of controversy to this day.
Taiwan government views Taiwan as an sovereign state with a democratic government and military.
China’s government views Taiwan as a breakaway province that it wants back as part of China.
Answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper using notes from Tuesday and Wednesday’s
lectures: (WRITE YOUR ANSWERS USING YOUR OWN WORDS AND USING COMPLETE SENTENCES)
1. How does the Chinese language reflect the way the Chinese people interpret concepts?
2. What about Confucianism would you support and what would you criticize?
3. What was the result of the Japanese occupation of China in WW2?
4. What was the Mao’s goal of the Great Leap Forward?
5. What did Mao do when he began to lose popularity and what was the result?
6. What were the students trying to accomplish when they began a hunger strike in Tiananmen Square?
7. After Tiananmen Square, China moved to a market economy but kept the Communist party in control.
Is it worth exchanging political freedoms for economic prosperity? Why or why not?
8. Should the United States be concerned with China’s social policies and the way they treat their people?
Keep in mind that the U.S. economy is tied to China’s economy and that China holds $1 trillion of our
debt.
9. Why would Mao criticize Confucian ideology?