The Hundred Flowers Campaign

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the Hundred Flowers Campaign in the Republic of China and argues that, although the purported motivations were to strengthen socialism by encouraging criticism, the real motivation was to strengthen Mao's position by finding out who his enemies were, and eliminating them. The paper then shows how Mao achieved several political goals with his ruthless, clever scheme which he utilized to maintain his power.

From the Paper:

"The Hundred Flowers Campaign (1956 - 1957) was a very atypical incident in the history of the Republic of China. On the surface, it was framed as an attempt by the rulers of the country, especially Mao Zedong, to facilitate free communication of dissenting ideas and criticism of the ruling Communist Party (CP). Clearly this was atypical, in that the CP prior to 1956, and subsequent to 1957, has been notoriously intolerant of criticism. The incongruity of this has prompted many to question Mao's sincerity. Was the Hundred Flowers Campaign a sincere attempt to enable the people to have a say in the running of the CP and the direction of socialism, or was it a cynical ruse to expose dissidents?"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bowie, Robert R. Communist China 1955-1959: Policy Documents with Analysis. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1962.
• Cadenhead, I.E., Jr. (Ed.) Mao and the Perpetual Revolution. New York: Baron's/Woodbury, 1977.
• Karnow, Stanley. Mao and China: From Revolution to Revolution. New York: The Viking Press, 1972.
• Kerry, Tom. The Mao Myth and the Legacy of Stalinism in China. New York: Pathfinder Press, 1977.
• Kinney, Tracey J. (Ed.) Conflict and Cooperation: Documents on Modern Global History. Ontario: Oxford University Press, 2006.

More papers on The Hundred Flowers Campaign:

• Essay # 137916 : "Topic 6: Was the “Hundred Flowers” Movement of 1957 a Genuine Attempt to Solicit Criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, or a Ploy to Expose Dissenters?"
• Analytical Essay # 6772 : "The Hundred Secret Senses"
• Analytical Essay # 126854 : "The East African Campaign"

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