FREE Marxism's Influence and the Great Leap Forward Essay (original) (raw)

Karl Marx once said: "History does nothing; it does not possess immense riches. It is men, real, living, who do all this."1 As one of the most influential thinkers in the nineteenth century, Marx has had a direct, deliberate and powerful influence upon mankind both during and after his lifetime. Upon his moral links with his followers, the strength of which was unique even in that golden age of democratic nationalism, he has also influenced various great leaders in the 21st century, such as Mao. The followers of Marx has spread communism into every perspective of today's society. The inquisition on the extent Marxism influenced China's Great Leap Forward has been brought to attention. Marxism influenced China's Great Leap Forward economically, socially and politically, as well as developing Maoism. This topic has come to my concern due to my interest as a Chinese to my own nation's history and culture, as well as the significant experiences and stories I was told as a kid by my grandmother, who has spent her childhood in Shanghai during the period of China's Great Leap Forward. This essay evaluates the extent of Marxist influences on China's Great Leap Forward economically, socially and politically, with the use of pictures, books, internet research, movie productions as well as interviews with my grandmother as the role and viewpoints of the bourgeoisie during China's Great Leap Forward.
Background.
Marxism is a series of economical, social and political based ideologies that oppose capitalism. As defined by the communist slogan, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." 2 Marxism in other words are equality for all, which Karl Marx believed was the key factor to keeping peace in the world, since he proclaimed history as a repeating cycle of wars, caused by class struggles and uprisings. 3 In terms of economy, Marxism lays basis of labour and its relation to capital, abandons private ownership of property, and exploits surplus value made formally by the middle class under a capitalist economy.

1. mao's legacy:What legacy did M

From his tactical success of the Long March to his embarrassing failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao has greatly influenced the result of what China is today. ... His espousal of worldwide revolution was not an appeal for the unity of international Marxism but a demand that revolutionaries everywhere follow the Maoist path." ... Nevertheless one has to point out very clearly that Mao had to take the largest responsibility of the lasting effects from the Great leap Forward (1958) and the Cultural Revolution (1966), these terrible campaigns which influenced the social, economical and cultural ...

2. The Chinese Cultural Revolution

In his book "A critical Introduction to Mao," Cheek identifies that the generation battled with an array of Western ideas such as anarchism, pragmatism, and after 1917, Marxism. ... We must act energetically to carry out the great union of the popular massesOur golden age of brightness and splendor lies ahead!... During his reign of power in the Chinese Communist party, Mao launched what he called 'The Great Leap Forward,' which was a movement which should have seen a significant growth in agricultural and industrial production (Teacher source, Unknown #1). ... Wei Li from...

3. Cold War

The victorious forces at the end of the war divided Germany into four zones. They also divided Berlin into four zones. Each of the victorious nations controlled one zone and one sector of Berlin. The Allies (Britain, America and France) ran their zones differently to the areas controlled by Russia...

4. Speculations on Law and Society in Modern China

Even the Great Helmsman's role in history is subject to revision. ... Foreign concessions were ended, and, with the important exception of the Russians, British Hong Kong 香港 and Portuguese Macau 澳門, foreign influences were expelled. ...

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