Change in China (1949-53)

29 September 1949: Common Programme
1. China would be a 'People's Democratic Dictatorship' : democracy for all, dictatorship for reactionaries
Problems faced
1. Had to revolutionise politics to meet aims
  1. Transform land ownership to peasant ownership
  2. Transform country from agricultural to industrial
  3. Abolish feudal system which kept women in bondage
  4. Wanted equal rights for men and women
2. 3 years of civil war had taken peasants out of farms and destroyed much infrastructure
3. Population growing by 15 million/year --> needed food
4. High level of unemployment
5. Big problem of uniting China as one country
Reforms
1. Womens Rights
  1. April 1950: Marriage Law
    1. Arranged marriages, marriage of children, killing of girl babies and bigamy became illegal + divorce by mutual consent was introduced
  2. February 1951: Mothers given 2 months paid leave after childbirth
2. Land+Class Reforms
  1. June 1950: Agrarian Reform Law
    1. Land taken from rich and given to poor
      1. 1950-52: 47 million hectares (40% of land) taken from rich and given to 300 million peasants
  2. Social class of every person established

Resource summary

	Created by g-jacqmin about 8 years ago