COMPARING

MAO’s COMMUNIST CHINA with

THE SOVIET UNION

Mao’s China (1949-1976) / Soviet Union (1917-1991)
1. What groups were originally attracted to the communist movement in each country?
2. What specific reforms were originally promised to the people of each country by the communist leadership?
3. What agricultural growth strategies were pursued by the communist party in each country?
4. What industrialization strategies were pursued by the communist party in each country?
5. In what specific ways did the communist party try to control the nation’s people?
6. What was each nation’s relation to “the West”?

Part II. Primary Source Analysis: The Marriage Law of the “People’s Republic of China”

Background information: When the Communists came to power in China in 1949, marriage reform surfaced as a high priority in constructing a new society. The 1950 Marriage Law, excerpted here, led to a widespread debate on the role of women in Chinese communist society.

Thinking critically about this source:

a.  What practices did the Chinese Communists seek to curb with this law?

b.  Construct a theory about how different groups of people in China might respond to this law. Among the groups you might consider are rich men, poor men, rich women, poor women, young and old, city and country people.

The primary source:

Chapter I. General Principles

Article 1. The arbitrary and compulsory feudal marriage system, which is based on the superiority of man over woman and which ignores the children’s interests, shall be abolished.

The new democratic marriage system, which is based on free choice of partners, on monogamy, on equal rights for both sexes, and on protection of the lawful interests of women and children, shall be put into effect.

Article 2. Bigamy, concubinage, child betrothal, interference with the remarriage of widows, and the exaction of money or gifts in connection with marriage shall be prohibited….

Chapter III. Rights and Duties of Husband and Wife

Article 7. Husband and wife are companions living together and shall enjoy equal status in the home.

Article 8. Husband and wife are in duty bound to love, respect, assist, and look after each other, to live in harmony, to engage in production, to care for the children, and to strive jointly for the welfare of the family and for the building up of a new society.

Article 9. Both husband and wife shall have the right to free choice of occupation and free participation in work or in social activities.

Article 10. Both husband and wife shall have equal right in the possession and management of family property.

Part III. Writing practice.

Write a thesis statement that includes specific points of comparison and contrast that would answer the following prompt:

Compare the effects of the Chinese Revolution with the Iranian Revolution.