Communism was a socioeconomic system characterized by the absence of private property and state control of the means of production. In a communist society, all resources and means of production are owned by the community; there is no social hierarchy or class system, and everyone is supposedly equal. Communism in China referred to the Marxist-Leninist political system, which was first implemented in 1949 under the rule of Mao Zedong (Zheng & Kapoor, 2021). The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) modeled its economy after the Soviet Union, and during the 1950s and 1960s, centralized planning and collectivization were introduced throughout most of the country. However, in the late 1970s, significant economic reforms were enacted, eventually leading to a more market-based economy. Despite these changes, communist principles remained a key part of China’s government and society. Communism started due to China’s large population, the industrial revolution, and the introduction of the CCP; it made China a one-party state with mixed economic impacts, which led to its abolishment.
The communist ideology originated in China due to several reasons. Firstly, the massive population size in China led to the origination of communism in China. With billions of people population, the Chinese government struggled to provide for its citizens (Rosenberg, J., & Boyle, 2019). This lack of resources and opportunities led many people to become angry with the government and look for an alternative system to meet their needs better. The communist ideology fitted this need perfectly, as it promised equal wealth and opportunity for all. Therefore, with the support of the people, communism began to take root in China. Over time, it grew into a powerful movement that eventually overthrew the ruling government and established a new era of communism in China.
Secondly, the industrial revolution had a profound impact on China by leading to the rise of communism. The revolution began in 1839 when Britain waged war against China to force it to open its ports to trade (Cerqueira & Albuquerque, 2021). As a result of the British victory, China was forced to sign several unfair treaties with Western countries, including the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842. This treaty allowed Western countries to establish extraterritoriality in China and granted them special privileges, such as immunity from Chinese law. The industrialization of Western countries during the 1800s similarly caused great inequality between rich and poor nations (Cerqueira & Albuquerque, 2021). This was particularly apparent in China, where wealthy foreigners lived luxurious lives while the majority of Chinese people lived in poverty, and they wanted justice.
Thirdly, China’s long history as an imperial power was another cause of communism in China. For centuries, the Chinese people were subjected to the rule of an emperor who had absolute power and control over them. This type of government was known as an autocracy, and it was a form of government that did not allow for any input from the people. Over time, the people of China grew tired of being ruled by an emperor who did not care about their well-being (Dreyer, 2018). In response, they turned to communism, which was a form of government that put the people in charge. Under communism, the Chinese people could have a say in how their country was run and could elect representatives.
Lastly, the CCP promoted communism in the rural areas of China. The party believed that if they could gain control of the countryside, they could eventually take control of the entire country. They started by recruiting peasant farmers into their ranks and teaching them about Marxism-Leninism (Dabphet, 2018). Marxism-Leninism held that social change occurs through the struggle of the working class, or proletariat, against the owners of the means of production or the bourgeoisie. The working class will eventually overthrow the bourgeoisie and establish a socialist state. This state will eventually evolve into a communist state, in which all property is owned communally, and there is no need for a state or government. Once the peasants had learned about communism, the CCP would send them out to spread the message to their fellow villagers. The CCP similarly used propaganda to promote communism by producing posters, films, and songs that glorified communism and vilified capitalism (Ho, 2018). The goal was to convince the Chinese people that communism was the best way to live and offered a better future for China than capitalism did initially.
The impacts of communism in China were critical and significant in different ways. Immediately after the Communists took power in 1949, China became a one-party state with the Communist Party of China in control (De Freitas, 2019). All other political parties were banned, and all opposing voices were silenced. Land reform was instituted, which led to large-scale peasant uprisings throughout the country. The Great Leap Forward campaign beginning in 1958, sought to industrialize China rapidly but instead caused a devastating famine that killed millions of people. The Cultural Revolution, a campaign launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, further ravaged the country and resulted in the death or imprisonment of millions of people (De Freitas, 2019). Deng Xiaoping eventually ended the Mao era and introduced market-based reforms, which have helped spur China’s economic growth over the past few decades.
Similarly, the economic impacts of communism in China have been mixed. Initially, communist policies helped to rapidly industrialize the country and pull millions of people out of poverty. However, over time the rigid economic planning and pervasive government control caused widespread inefficiency and corruption, resulting in a number of economic problems (De Freitas, 2019). For example, the lack of market incentives led to significant over-investment in certain industries, while shortages of goods are common in others. In addition, the Chinese currency was not freely convertible, which led to large foreign exchange reserves and artificially low prices for exported goods.
The abandonment of communism in China was actualized for some key reasons. One of the primary reasons was that the communist party could not provide the same level of wealth and prosperity that the capitalist system could (Iversen & Soskice, 2020). Capitalism in China provided a much higher level of wealth for its citizens than communism because it is a market economy. A market economy was an economic system where the prices of goods and services were determined by the forces of supply and demand and not by the government. In addition, the communist party could not handle issues concerning food shortages, natural disasters, and public protests (Dominelli & Ku, 2017). Finally, the communist party also lost much support after the Tiananmen Square massacre. The Tiananmen Square massacre was a brutal crackdown by the Chinese government on pro-democracy protesters in 1989 (Yeoh, 2019). The massacre signaled the end of communist party support for many people. The brutal suppression of the protests showed the world the true nature of the communist party, and many people turned away from it in disgust.
In conclusion, communism has a complex and controversial history in China. Though it has been officially abandoned, many elements of communist ideology are still present in Chinese society. Its effects have ranged from disastrous to hugely positive, and its influence will likely continue to be felt for many years. Furthermore, since the adoption of communist rule in China in 1949, the country has experienced remarkable successes and devastating failures.
References
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