Chinese Communist Party
The October Revolution in Russia inspired the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao were among the first to publicly support Leninism and world revolution. They regarded the October Revolution as groundbreaking, believing it heralded a new era for oppressed countries everywhere. The CCP's founding congress commenced on the 23rd of July 1921. At that time, there were 57 members of the party and 13 Chinese delegates present at the meeting. It was originally held in a house in the Shanghai French Concession. French police interrupted the meeting on the 30th of July. The congress moved to a tourist boat on South Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. Neither Li Dazhao nor Chen Duxiu attended; the latter sent a personal representative instead. The resolutions called for establishing a communist party as a branch of the Communist International. Chen then served as the first general secretary of the party.
On the 1st of August 1927, General Zhu De led a battalion to take the city of Nanchang in what became known as the Nanchang Uprising. Initially successful, Zhu and his troops retreated after five days. Mao Zedong was appointed commander-in-chief of the Red Army. He led four regiments against Changsha in the Autumn Harvest Uprising. His plan failed when the Fourth Regiment deserted to the KMT cause. By the 15th of September, he accepted defeat with 1,000 survivors marching east to the Jinggang Mountains of Jiangxi. Chiang Kai-shek turned on the communists in April 1927. Fresh from the Northern Expedition, he marched on Shanghai. He massacred 5,000 communists with the aid of the Green Gang. Tens of thousands of communists and their sympathizers were killed by KMT troops that May. The CCP lost approximately half its members during this period. The war between the CCP and the KMT began again in earnest after the Japanese surrender in 1945. Mao's proclamation of the founding of the People's Republic of China on the 1st of October 1949 marked the end of the second phase of the Chinese Civil War.
The Anti-Rightist Campaign launched in 1957 resulted in the political persecution of at least 550,000 people. This campaign significantly damaged the limited pluralistic nature in the socialist republic. It solidified the country's status as a one-party state. The Great Leap Forward ran from 1958 to 1962. In an effort to transform the country from an agrarian economy into an industrialized one, the party collectivized farmland. They formed people's communes and diverted labor to factories. General mismanagement and exaggerations of harvests led to the Great Chinese Famine. An estimated 15 to 45 million deaths occurred, making it the largest famine in recorded history. Defense Minister Peng Dehuai criticized Mao for his role in causing the disaster. He was purged for this in 1959. During the Cultural Revolution, millions were persecuted and killed. Party leaders such as Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping, and He Long were purged or exiled. The Gang of Four emerged to fill the power vacuum left behind.
Deng Xiaoping became China's paramount leader in 1978 after winning a power struggle with Hua Guofeng. He spearheaded reform and opening up policies alongside Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang. They introduced the ideological concept of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This opened China to the world's markets while asserting the political power of the CCP. A 1978 article aimed to combat dogmatism and criticized the Two Whatevers policy. It reinforced the principle that Practice is the Sole Criterion for Truth. By the early 1990s, the concept of a socialist market economy had been introduced. In 1997, Deng's beliefs were embedded into the party constitution. Jiang Zemin succeeded Deng as paramount leader in 1989. He continued most of these policies. The party transformed from a veteran revolutionary leadership to a political elite increasingly renewed according to institutionalized norms. Leadership was largely selected based on rules and norms on promotion and retirement. There is now a largely separate group of professionalized military officers serving under top party leadership through formal relationships within institutional channels.
Marxism-Leninism was the first official ideology of the party. Mao Zedong Thought was conceived not only by Mao but also by leading party officials. Deng Xiaoping Theory was added to the party constitution at the 14th National Congress in 1992. The concepts of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the primary stage of socialism were credited to this theory. The Three Represents was adopted by the party at the 16th National Congress. It defines the role of the CCP and stresses that the Party must always represent advanced productive forces and the fundamental interests of the people. Hu Jintao introduced two main ideological concepts: the Scientific Outlook on Development and Harmonious Society. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was added to the party constitution in the 19th National Congress in 2017. In November 2021, the CCP adopted a resolution on the Party's history. For the first time, it credited Xi as being the main innovator of his thought while declaring his leadership as key to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The National Congress is the party's highest body. Since the 9th National Congress in 1969, it has been convened every five years. When the congress is not in session, the Central Committee is the highest decision-making institution. The Politburo exercises functions when a plenum is not in session. The Politburo Standing Committee convenes at least once a week. It was established at the 8th National Congress in 1958. The General Office serves as the party's nerve center for day-to-day administrative work. Six main central departments handle specific tasks like organization, publicity, and international relations. The Central Military Commission controls operations of the People's Liberation Army. The general secretary has served as Chairman of the CMC since Jiang Zemin. Party committees permeate every state administrative organ and social organization. A business with more than three party members must establish a committee or branch. More than half of China's private firms have such organizations today.
The International Department of the Chinese Communist Party handles dialogue with global political parties. The CCP retains contact with major communist parties such as those in Portugal, France, Russia, and Brazil. It also maintains relations with minor communist and workers' parties worldwide. The ruling party which the CCP is most interested in is the Communist Party of Vietnam. In 2006, the CCP invited then-WPK general secretary Kim Jong Il to Guangdong to showcase economic reforms. There is considerable interest within the party regarding Cuba. Fidel Castro is greatly admired by many Chinese analysts. Since the decline of communism in Eastern Europe, the CCP began establishing relations with non-communist parties. They studied how the People's Action Party of Singapore maintains total domination over politics. By 2008, the CCP claimed to have established relations with 99 political parties in 29 Latin American countries. Social democratic movements in Europe became of great interest to the party since the early 1980s. In 1984, the Social Democratic Party of Germany initiated dialogues with the CCP.
Common questions
When was the Chinese Communist Party founded and where did its founding congress take place?
The Chinese Communist Party's founding congress commenced on the 23rd of July 1921. It was originally held in a house in the Shanghai French Concession before moving to a tourist boat on South Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province.
What happened during the Nanchang Uprising led by General Zhu De on the 1st of August 1927?
General Zhu De led a battalion to take the city of Nanchang but his troops retreated after five days. This event marked an initial successful attempt that ultimately failed as Mao Zedong later accepted defeat with 1,000 survivors marching east to the Jinggang Mountains of Jiangxi.
How many people died during the Great Chinese Famine caused by the Great Leap Forward between 1958 and 1962?
An estimated 15 to 45 million deaths occurred during the Great Chinese Famine which resulted from general mismanagement and exaggerations of harvests under the Great Leap Forward. This disaster makes it the largest famine in recorded history.
When was Xi Jinping Thought added to the party constitution of the Chinese Communist Party?
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was added to the party constitution in the 19th National Congress in 2017. In November 2021 the CCP adopted a resolution crediting Xi as being the main innovator of this thought.
Who serves as Chairman of the Central Military Commission within the Chinese Communist Party structure since 1989?
The general secretary has served as Chairman of the Central Military Commission since Jiang Zemin took office in 1989. The Central Military Commission controls operations of the People's Liberation Army through formal relationships within institutional channels.