American Prestige Chinese Prestige: From May Fourth to Mao w/ Yidi Wu
Nov 25, 2025
Yidi Wu, a historian and assistant professor of modern Chinese history, dives deep into the epic journey of the Chinese Communist Party. She traces its roots from the May Fourth Movement to its strategies during the civil war against the Nationalists. Wu reveals how Mao Zedong’s focus on rural reform and land redistribution played a crucial role in shaping the party's success. She discusses foreign influences, the impact of Japan's invasion, and how public sentiment shifted during the civil conflict, ultimately leading to the establishment of the People's Republic of China.
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Western Ideas Fueled Early Chinese Communism
- The May Fourth and New Culture movements brought Western ideas, especially communism, into China after 1919.
- The 1917 Russian Revolution heavily inspired Chinese intellectuals to consider communist solutions.
Urban Strategy Failed; Rural Shift Was Necessary
- Early CCP strategy followed Soviet advice and focused on urban workers, but China lacked a large industrial proletariat.
- That weakness forced the party to rethink and eventually shift strategy toward rural mobilization.
Land Reform Became The Party's Power Base
- The CCP adopted a rural strategy centered on land reform and class classification of peasants.
- Redistributing land to poor peasants became the most effective tool for gaining rural support.
