Thought reform in the People's Republic of China
Encyclopedia
Thought reform in the People's Republic of China (思想改造, also known as "ideological remolding" or "ideological reform") was a campaign of the Communist Party of China
is to reform the thinking of Chinese citizens into accepting Marxism-Leninism
and Mao Zedong Thought from 1951–1952. Techniques employed included indoctrination, "struggle session
s," propaganda
, criticism and self-criticism, and a variety of other techniques.
calling for intellectuals to reform their thought. The People's Daily
called for teachers and college staff to "arm oneself with the thought of Marxism-Leninism" and "throw away the vulgar perspectives of individualism and liberalism, and the cultural thought of European-American reactionary bourgeoisie". Intellectuals who studied overseas were forced to confess to their role as "implementers of the imperialist cultural invasion", while writers across the country were ordered to study Mao's speech "Talk at Yanan Forum on Literature and Arts" and engage in self-criticism. During the movement, many school curricula were restructured, with science and engineering adapting the Soviet models, while courses seen as "pesudo-bourgeoisie" such as sociology, political science, and economics were abolished.
The Thought Reform Movement ended by 1952 and was merged with the Three-anti/five-anti campaigns
. As a result, the Central Committee Department of Propaganda has taken ideological control of China's cultural and educations systems.
According to Robert Jay Lifton
, the CPC's program of thought reform emerged as one of the most powerful efforts at propaganda ever undertaken, and included imposed doctrines, ideological purges, and mass conversion movements carried out in an organized and comprehensive way. The thought reform program was applied in universities, schools, special "revolutionary colleges," prisons, businesses and government offices, and peasant organisations. It brought significant personal upheaval to the individuals affected.
Chen reports that the CPC selected "model citizens" from various walks of life, including laborers, peasants, women, and youth to popularize the attributes of the concept. From the virtues put forth in indoctrination and propaganda, and from the various "models" selected to promote desired behaviors, Theodore Chen writes that it is possible to discern a few major characteristics of the model man envisioned by communist planners. These include: absolute selflessness; obedience to the Communist Party; class consciousness; ideological study; participation in labor and production; versatility; and being a "Red expert."
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
is to reform the thinking of Chinese citizens into accepting Marxism-Leninism
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
and Mao Zedong Thought from 1951–1952. Techniques employed included indoctrination, "struggle session
Struggle Session
A struggle session was a form of public humiliation used by the Communist Party of China to enforce a reign of terror in the Mao Zedong era to shape public opinion and to humiliate, persecute, and/or execute political rivals, so-called class enemies...
s," propaganda
Propaganda in the People's Republic of China
Propaganda in the People's Republic of China as interpreted in Western media refers to the Communist Party of China's use of propaganda to sway public and international opinion in favor of its policies. Domestically, this includes censorship of proscribed views and an active cultivation of views...
, criticism and self-criticism, and a variety of other techniques.
History
The Thought Reform Movement first began in September 1951, following a speech by premier Zhou EnlaiZhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
calling for intellectuals to reform their thought. The People's Daily
People's Daily
The People's Daily is a daily newspaper in the People's Republic of China. The paper is an organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China , published worldwide with a circulation of 3 to 4 million. In addition to its main Chinese-language edition, it has editions in English,...
called for teachers and college staff to "arm oneself with the thought of Marxism-Leninism" and "throw away the vulgar perspectives of individualism and liberalism, and the cultural thought of European-American reactionary bourgeoisie". Intellectuals who studied overseas were forced to confess to their role as "implementers of the imperialist cultural invasion", while writers across the country were ordered to study Mao's speech "Talk at Yanan Forum on Literature and Arts" and engage in self-criticism. During the movement, many school curricula were restructured, with science and engineering adapting the Soviet models, while courses seen as "pesudo-bourgeoisie" such as sociology, political science, and economics were abolished.
The Thought Reform Movement ended by 1952 and was merged with the Three-anti/five-anti campaigns
Three-anti/five-anti campaigns
The Three-anti Campaign and Five-anti Campaign were reform movements originally issued by Mao Zedong a few years after the founding of the People's Republic of China in an effort to rid Chinese cities of corruption and enemies of the state...
. As a result, the Central Committee Department of Propaganda has taken ideological control of China's cultural and educations systems.
According to Robert Jay Lifton
Robert Jay Lifton
Robert Jay Lifton is an American psychiatrist and author, chiefly known for his studies of the psychological causes and effects of war and political violence and for his theory of thought reform...
, the CPC's program of thought reform emerged as one of the most powerful efforts at propaganda ever undertaken, and included imposed doctrines, ideological purges, and mass conversion movements carried out in an organized and comprehensive way. The thought reform program was applied in universities, schools, special "revolutionary colleges," prisons, businesses and government offices, and peasant organisations. It brought significant personal upheaval to the individuals affected.
The Socialist "New Man"
According to a 1969 thesis by Theodore Chen, an important concept in thought reform is that of the "New Socialist Man," based on the idea that communist revolution is predicated on "new men with new minds, new ideas, new emotions, and new attitudes." Thus, before the new way of life can prevail, the old must be abolished. In China both the old and new generations were to be remolded according to communist ideology, so the making and remaking of "new men" became a fundamental task of the communist revolution and the main aim of education.Chen reports that the CPC selected "model citizens" from various walks of life, including laborers, peasants, women, and youth to popularize the attributes of the concept. From the virtues put forth in indoctrination and propaganda, and from the various "models" selected to promote desired behaviors, Theodore Chen writes that it is possible to discern a few major characteristics of the model man envisioned by communist planners. These include: absolute selflessness; obedience to the Communist Party; class consciousness; ideological study; participation in labor and production; versatility; and being a "Red expert."