theme one - government
articles
Creation of the political system in the PRC Intro
important to act quickly to develop a new political system
temp bodies set up to run the country and a provisional constiution was adopted until
1954
gov control of the press through Xinhua
The organisation of the government
Chinease Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)
mainly communist sympathisers, but some minority groups to give a greater claim to
legitimacy
appointed the new Central Peoples Government
approved the Common Programme (temp constitution)
decided on state symbols
Common Programme
declared the China had been transformed into a new society
alliance between the workers and peasants - interests would be represented by the
Party
personal freedoms
in reality - very different - gave the army and police the right to supress counter
revolutionary activity
mao identified four classes of people who would have rights in china and everyone
else would be repressed
New Democracy
passing legislation - central gov rubber stamped proposals put forward by the
Politburo, CPPCC ratified it
all existing laws passed by the GMD was abolished along with the judicial system
Bureaux
China divided into six regions - decisions taken at a national level could be imposed
throughout the country
regional congresses - gave the impression the Beijing was listening to them
in charge of each region - politcal commissar, gov chairman, miliatary commander
and party sec (most powerful)
power could become concentrated - e.g. Gao Gang held all four posts
high central control was in place to stop china from reverting back to the warlord
years where regional leaders fought eachother and the central gov was powerless
, 1954 Constiution and increasing bureaucracy
National peoples congress created as the new legistlature - rubber stamped politburo
decisions around laws
communist party retained control of elections
real power remained in the highest party bodies - decisions were made there and then
endorsed by state bodies
six regions now subdivided into 21 provinces
central peoples government renamed state council
CCPPC - advisory body to National Peoples congress
as the system became more established, the number of bureaucrats needed to staff it
grew enormously - 720,000 in 1949 to 8m in 1959
mao worried that the growth of administratiors could slow down the pace of
revolution
wanted to safeguard their careers rather than advance the cause of revolution
mao felt that the bureaucratisation of the revolution was what had gone wrong in
russia
The role of the communist party
leading ccp officials had always held key posts in both the state and the army
when mao stood down from his position as head of state in 1958, he retained his
position of chairman of the party - where the real power lay
party membership was restricted to those who could prove their commitment and
ideological correctness
cadres - played key roles in monitoring the running of state instiutions to ensure that
they were adhearing
mass participation in party groups encouraged
every employed citizen belonged to a work unit (danwei) - issued permits to travel,
marry and change jobs
The role of the PLA
enjoyed a special place in the Communist mythology - epitomisng revolutionary
values
worlds largest army - 5 million men, consumed over 40 percent of the state budget
reduced in size as it could be deployed elsewhere in peacetime economy
minister of defence Peng Dehuai
as it became smaller, it became more professional, technologically advanced and
egalitarian
helped peasants on collective farms as it risked losing the goodwill of the peasantry
(and its influence over it)
acted as a workforce in many public works projects - rebuilding the infrastructure
after the civil war
Maos dominant position within government
become party leader as a result of purges inside the party - retification campaign
oct 1949 - made head of state as well as for the party - head of CPG
power was still not absolute due to the collective leadership of the party
articles
Creation of the political system in the PRC Intro
important to act quickly to develop a new political system
temp bodies set up to run the country and a provisional constiution was adopted until
1954
gov control of the press through Xinhua
The organisation of the government
Chinease Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)
mainly communist sympathisers, but some minority groups to give a greater claim to
legitimacy
appointed the new Central Peoples Government
approved the Common Programme (temp constitution)
decided on state symbols
Common Programme
declared the China had been transformed into a new society
alliance between the workers and peasants - interests would be represented by the
Party
personal freedoms
in reality - very different - gave the army and police the right to supress counter
revolutionary activity
mao identified four classes of people who would have rights in china and everyone
else would be repressed
New Democracy
passing legislation - central gov rubber stamped proposals put forward by the
Politburo, CPPCC ratified it
all existing laws passed by the GMD was abolished along with the judicial system
Bureaux
China divided into six regions - decisions taken at a national level could be imposed
throughout the country
regional congresses - gave the impression the Beijing was listening to them
in charge of each region - politcal commissar, gov chairman, miliatary commander
and party sec (most powerful)
power could become concentrated - e.g. Gao Gang held all four posts
high central control was in place to stop china from reverting back to the warlord
years where regional leaders fought eachother and the central gov was powerless
, 1954 Constiution and increasing bureaucracy
National peoples congress created as the new legistlature - rubber stamped politburo
decisions around laws
communist party retained control of elections
real power remained in the highest party bodies - decisions were made there and then
endorsed by state bodies
six regions now subdivided into 21 provinces
central peoples government renamed state council
CCPPC - advisory body to National Peoples congress
as the system became more established, the number of bureaucrats needed to staff it
grew enormously - 720,000 in 1949 to 8m in 1959
mao worried that the growth of administratiors could slow down the pace of
revolution
wanted to safeguard their careers rather than advance the cause of revolution
mao felt that the bureaucratisation of the revolution was what had gone wrong in
russia
The role of the communist party
leading ccp officials had always held key posts in both the state and the army
when mao stood down from his position as head of state in 1958, he retained his
position of chairman of the party - where the real power lay
party membership was restricted to those who could prove their commitment and
ideological correctness
cadres - played key roles in monitoring the running of state instiutions to ensure that
they were adhearing
mass participation in party groups encouraged
every employed citizen belonged to a work unit (danwei) - issued permits to travel,
marry and change jobs
The role of the PLA
enjoyed a special place in the Communist mythology - epitomisng revolutionary
values
worlds largest army - 5 million men, consumed over 40 percent of the state budget
reduced in size as it could be deployed elsewhere in peacetime economy
minister of defence Peng Dehuai
as it became smaller, it became more professional, technologically advanced and
egalitarian
helped peasants on collective farms as it risked losing the goodwill of the peasantry
(and its influence over it)
acted as a workforce in many public works projects - rebuilding the infrastructure
after the civil war
Maos dominant position within government
become party leader as a result of purges inside the party - retification campaign
oct 1949 - made head of state as well as for the party - head of CPG
power was still not absolute due to the collective leadership of the party
