Unit 11: Chinese Communism

Mao’s cult of personality also went beyond the badges and the Little Red Book. There were propaganda posters inside homes, classrooms, meeting halls, office buildings, and factories. The line beneath Mao’s image says: Wishing Chairman Mao a long life.

Which political leader other than Mao Zedong utilized this type of poster?

• Otto von Bismark

• Emperor Meiji

• Joseph Stalin

• Nelson Mandela

Mao’s cult of personality also went beyond the badges and the Little Red Book. There were propaganda posters inside homes, classrooms, meeting halls, office buildings, and factories. The line beneath Mao’s image says: Wishing Chairman Mao a long life.

The design and use of this poster suggests its purpose was to

• advertise advancements in Chinese healthcare

• build support for China’s leader among the people

• warn the Chinese people about the dangers of capitalism

• improve the literacy rates of children and adults throughout China

Mao’s cult of personality also went beyond the badges and the Little Red Book. There were propaganda posters inside homes, classrooms, meeting halls, office buildings, and factories. The line beneath Mao’s image says: Wishing Chairman Mao a long life.

Which historical development is most closely associated with this poster?

• establishment of special economic zones

• efforts to confront the opium crisis

• nationalism rebellions against Qing rule

• the Cultural Revolution

...History shows that wars are divided into two kinds, just and unjust. All wars that are progressive [reformist] are just, and all wars that impede [obstruct] progress are unjust. We Communists oppose all unjust wars that impede progress, but we do not oppose progressive just wars. Not only do we Communists not oppose just wars, we actively participate in them. As for unjust wars, World War I is an instance in which both sides fought for imperialist interests; therefore the Communists of the whole world firmly opposed that war. The way to oppose a war of this kind is to do everything possible to prevent it before it breaks out and, once it breaks out, to oppose war with war, to oppose unjust war with just war, whenever possible….

Based on this passage, what does Mao believe about war from the communist perspective?

• Wars are inevitable regardless of the society

• Wars can be just or unjust depending on their purpose

• Wars have a purpose in all societies because of a constant need for change

• Wars should be permitted when a government needs to obstruct progress

...History shows that wars are divided into two kinds, just and unjust. All wars that are progressive [reformist] are just, and all wars that impede [obstruct] progress are unjust. We Communists oppose all unjust wars that impede progress, but we do not oppose progressive just wars. Not only do we Communists not oppose just wars, we actively participate in them. As for unjust wars, World War I is an instance in which both sides fought for imperialist interests; therefore the Communists of the whole world firmly opposed that war. The way to oppose a war of this kind is to do everything possible to prevent it before it breaks out and, once it breaks out, to oppose war with war, to oppose unjust war with just war, whenever possible….

Based on this passage, what does Mao believe about World War I?

• The philosophical beliefs of the competing countries challenged traditional ideals.

• The potential political gains of European nations benefited China.

• The countries in the war were involved for their individual economic benefits.

• The possible military losses made it too risky for the Communist Party to intervene.

The following cartoon was drawn by Dan Wasserman, an American political cartoonist and was published in the Boston Globe in 1992.

Which statement best describes the author’s point of view in this 1992 cartoon?

• China's government opposes free-trade agreements with Western nations.

• Deng Xiaoping personally opposed the introduction of capitalism to China.

• The Chinese Government is more interested in improving trade than in respecting human rights.

• China's economic system is meeting the needs of its people.

The following cartoon was drawn by Dan Wasserman, an American political cartoonist and was published in the Boston Globe in 1992.

A historian would find this document most useful for

• Examining the effects of Deng Xiaoping's economic policies

• Understanding how some Americans viewed Chinese policies in the 1990s

• Evaluating the effects of Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution

• Understanding the points of view of young Chinese citizens in the 1990s

Which global issue is addressed in this cartoon?

• human rights

• environmental pollution

• ethnic strife

• Cold War tensions

The point of view of the author of this cartoon is that Deng Xiaoping will be remembered most for the

• destruction of Western art

• bloodshed in Tiananmen Square

• preservation of Chinese historical sites

• adoption of a capitalist economy