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Mao’s China, 1945–76

Communist rule, 1945–59

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 3

Overview

Mao's peasant version of Marxism, continuous revolution, Mao Zedong Thought, his two positions after 1949, why he could not be challenged, democratic centralism, party growth, cadres, the six regions and party control of the state.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How did Mao change Marxist thinking to fit China?

Numbers

What was Mao Zedong Thought?

Key term

What did democratic centralism mean in practice?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    How did Mao change Marxist thinking to fit China?

    Model answer

    He argued that the revolution would be made by the peasants of the countryside rather than by factory workers in the cities.

  2. 2

    What did Mao mean by continuous revolution?

    Model answer

    That revolution must never stop, because officials and the people would grow comfortable and slide back towards the old order.

  3. 3

    What was Mao Zedong Thought?

    Model answer

    Mao's own writings on revolution, adopted in 1945 as the party's official guide and treated as the test of loyalty.

  4. 4

    Which two leading positions did Mao hold after 1949?

    Model answer

    He was Chairman of the party and also head of state of the new People's Republic.

  5. 5

    Why was Mao's position unchallengeable in the 1950s?

    Model answer

    He had led the party through the Long March to victory in the Civil War, and he controlled the army and senior appointments.

  6. 6

    What did democratic centralism mean in practice?

    Model answer

    Members could argue about policy while it was being decided, but once the leadership ruled, everyone had to obey without further debate.

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