I. Short Essay Questions: Answer each of the following questions in approximately 200 words.
1. Compared to reformers and revolutionaries before 1920, Mao Zedong was profoundly different in many aspects of his thought on the Chinese revolution. Draw on what you have learned about Mao’s revolutionary doctrines, the land reform, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution, and discuss the most prominent features of Mao’s revolutionary ideas that made them different from those before the 1920s. (200~400 words) (20 points)
2. The victory of the Communist Party of China in 1949 is often acclaimed in the official discourse as the moment of “liberation” (解放) for the Chinese people. Draw on what you have read and learned in the course, and discuss whether you think the Chinese people were “liberated” in 1949? Why and/or why not? (200~400 words) (20 points)
II. Short Identification: Both of the following quotes discuss the military, but their views differ. Explicate, in the appropriate historical context, how their views of the military differ. Note that these quotes may not have been assigned in the class readings, so you should muster your knowledge of the historical context to develop your interpretation (200~400 words in total) (20 points).
1) “After Mr. Bin Chun and two other gentlemen, Zhigang and Sun Jiagu, had traveled in various countries at imperial command…they found that cartography, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, shipbuilding, and manufacturing are all closely related to military defense. It is the practice of foreign nations that those who have studied abroad and have learned some superior techniques are immediately invited upon their return by academic institutions to teach the various subjects and to develop their fields. Military administration and shipping are considered as important as the learning that deals with the mind and body, and nature and destiny of man. Now that the eyes of the people have been opened, if China wishes to adopt Western ideas and excel in Western methods, we should immediately select intelligent young men and send them to study in foreign countries…” (By Zeng Guofan, 1871, Letter to Zongli Yamen [a central government agency in charge of diplomacy])
2) “The masses of people in our country have always seen the Liberation Army as an example from which to learn. Since 1964, in response to the great call of Comrade Mao Tse-tung [i.e. Mao Zedong], the people throughout the country have set going an enthusiastic movement for learning in a big way from the Liberation Army. Comrade Mao Tse-tung recently pointed out: The People’s Liberation Army should be a great school. In this great school, our armymen should learn politics, military affairs and culture. They can also engage in agricultural production and side occupations, run some medium-sized or small factories and manufacture a number of products to meet their own needs or for exchange with the state at equal values. They can also do mass work and take part in the socialist education movement in the factories and villages. After the socialist education movement is over, they can always find mass work to do, so that the army will for ever be at one with the masses. They should also participate in the struggles of the cultural revolution to criticize the bourgeoisie whenever they occur… It has been Comrade Mao Tse-tung’s consistent idea that the people’s army should be run as a great school of revolution. We did so in the past. Now, in the light of the new conditions, Comrade Mao Tse-tung has put higher demands on the Liberation Army. Comrade Mao Tse-tung has called on the people of the whole country to turn China’s factories, rural people’s communes, schools, trading undertakings, service trades and Party and government organizations into great schools for revolutionization like the Liberation Army…. The Liberation Army is the best great school for studying Mao Tse-tung’s thought. All factories, rural people’s communes, schools, shops, service trades, and Party and government organizations in the country must follow the example set by the Liberation Army and turn themselves into great schools of Mao Tse-tung’s thought.” (Peking Review, August 5, 1966)
