Discussion on Topics Thursday 8/6

Nihao,

I think it is confusing for most to understand the conflict between the KMT and CCP because the success of the Chinese Communist Party involved 2 steps.

During the American Revolution there were also two "parties" if you can call them that, the Patriots and Torries, but they did not unite, as the parties did in China (step 1), to defeat a common enemy- the Japanese in WW II.

It is interesting how the CCP convinced Chiang Kai Shek to change his focus and join them fighting the Japanese - by kidnapping him! The Civil War that ensued after WW II is finished (step 2, 1945-1949) between the KMT and CCP is easier to grasp because it can be seen much like the American Civil War- a conflict between two ethnically similar, but politically different groups.

After the U.S. Civil War, many people were "evaluated" like Mao did in China to see if they had been traitors. In the U.S. though, when President Lincoln was assassinated, his successor released most of the Confederate officers back into the South. In China- traitors were executed by Mao. End of story.

If China had lost Mao, like we lost Lincoln, things would probably be different in China today.

The explanation of why the KMT failed whereas Mao succeeded was great. By focusing only on the cities and relying on the rich urban economy to support them, the KMT failed to reach, and mobilize China's biggest resource - the country folk (who were eager for land reform and to criticize their former landlords!). Mao's strategy was right.

The "top heaviness" of intellectuals among the KMT brought up a scary vision of how the government in the U.S. is staffed today!

By subtly using the institution of marriage to insert the Party into the families through marriage laws- shows the genius of Mao! The statistics of 55,000 women committing suicide in Hunan from '54 to '55 was tragic, but speaks to the traditional male bias of the culture.

The example of the local committee ladies who would pressure families to follow the party line- one child, no divorce etc. was enlightening. They would basically "brow beat" people into submission. How very inscrutable! I had always pictured a single cadre- like in the movie "To Live" as the Party's enforcer, but a group of hard-line party women, constantly in your face about "what you should do" is worse than the famous Chinese water torture!

Mao's "Democratic Centralism" and the "mass line" - how "ideas bubble up from below, are decided on and enforced from the top down" gave me a better understanding of how Mao allowed people to feel they had input - but he of course had the final say.

Keepers

The Nationalists are my quartermasters - Mao

There is no art for art's sake - Mao/Marx

Socialist Realism - art style of communist regimes

Today "President" in China same as "Chairman" during Mao's time

"Chaba Do" - More or less- "Whatever"

Mao leads Communist for 41 years (from Long March to 1976)

Mao's writings pre '35 his foundational beliefs, post '35 how to run a country

WWII in China a "Race for Manchuria" - thats where the Japanese had the most "stuff". Soviets got there first.

[Edit by="jmorgan on Aug 6, 11:22:21 PM"][/Edit]