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Mao’s China, 1945–76

Family life and the role of women

  • 2 things to know
  • Paper 3

Overview

The traditional family, what the communes did to home life, why the party wanted family loyalty weakened, foot binding, the Marriage Law of 1950, why women's position changed, half the sky and unequal work points.

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Key term

What was the traditional Chinese family like before 1949?

Key term

Why did the party want to weaken the family?

Questions from this subtopic

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  1. 1

    What was the traditional Chinese family like before 1949?

    Model answer

    Several generations lived together under the authority of the oldest man, marriages were arranged, and sons were valued far above daughters.

  2. 2

    How did the communes change everyday family life?

    Model answer

    Families ate in canteens instead of at home, babies and toddlers went to commune nurseries, and in some places couples slept in separate dormitories.

  3. 3

    Why did the party want to weaken the family?

    Model answer

    Because loyalty to relatives and elders competed with loyalty to the party, which wanted first claim on people's obedience.

  4. 4

    How did control of family life differ between town and countryside?

    Model answer

    In the towns the work unit decided housing, jobs and permission to marry; in the villages the commune and its cadres did the same.

  5. 5

    What happened to family life after the Great Leap Forward was abandoned?

    Model answer

    The canteens closed and families cooked and ate at home again on their restored private plots, so much of ordinary family life returned.

  6. 6

    What was foot binding, and what happened to it under Mao?

    Model answer

    The crippling custom of binding girls' feet to keep them tiny; it was outlawed and stamped out, so women could work and move freely.

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