Chinese Economic Reform
Two years after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, it became apparent to many of China's leaders that economic reform was necessary. During his tenure as China's premier, Mao had encouraged social movements such as the "Great Leap Forward" and the "Cultural Revolution" which had had as their bases ideas such as serving the people and maintaining the class struggle. By 1978 China’s leaders were searching for a solution to serious economic problems.
Hua Guofeng, the man who had succeeded Mao Zedong as CCP (Chinese Communist Party) leader after Mao's death, had demonstrated a desire to continue the ideologically based movements of Mao. Unfortunately, these movements had left China in ...
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living standards. It had become clear to members of the CCP that economic reform would fulfill a political purpose as well since the party felt that it had suffered a loss of support. (Shirk 23)
This movement "from virtue to competence" seemed to mark a serious departure from orthodox Chinese political theory. Confucius himself had said that those individuals who best demonstrated what he referred to as moral force should lead the nation. Using this principle as a guide, China had for centuries attempted to choose its leaders by administering a test to determine their moral force. After the Communist takeover of the country, Mao continued this emphasis on moral force by demanding that Chinese citizens demonstrate what he referred to as "correct consciousness." This correct consciousness could be exhibited by the way people lived. Thus, by demonstrating their expertise in a more practical area of competence, the leaders of the CCP felt they could demonstrate how they were ...
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in which the central government retained the dominant power in economic resource allocation and local officials worked for the interest of the units under their control (Solinger 103). However, as time passed, some basic aspects of the old system were altered either by design or by the process of neglect. In 1985, further reforms were introduced. For example, long-term sales contracts between farmers and the government were established. In addition, in an effort to allow the market to determine prices, the prices of fruits and vegetables, fish, meat, and eggs, were freed from government controls so they could respond to market demand. Most importantly a surge of private and collective ...
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Chinese Economic Reform. (2008, November 28). Retrieved January 11, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Chinese-Economic-Reform/93783
"Chinese Economic Reform." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 28 Nov. 2008. Web. 11 Jan. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Chinese-Economic-Reform/93783>
"Chinese Economic Reform." Essayworld.com. November 28, 2008. Accessed January 11, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Chinese-Economic-Reform/93783.
"Chinese Economic Reform." Essayworld.com. November 28, 2008. Accessed January 11, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Chinese-Economic-Reform/93783.
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