16.3 Changing Patterns of Life

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16.3Changing Patterns of Life

• By Jasmine C.

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New Philosophy

• The Chinese Communists combined the ideas of Marx
  and Mao.
• The new official way of thinking emphasized the
  values and goals of Chinas new leaders
• Chinas new heroes were workers
• Children learned to admire a boy who gave up his
  playtime to gather fertilizer.
• Traditional fairytales were rewritten to teach
  the value of physical labor rather than riches

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Social Changes

• Communists wanted a society where everyone was
  treated equal
• In theory everyone would have access to
  education, healthcare, housing, and jobs.
• By the 1980s, Dengs economic reforms were
  creating new differences in wealth

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Family Life

• After 1949, Chinas leaders tried to weaken the
  influence of the family
• During the Cultural Revolution, Mao encouraged
  children to criticize their parents for clinging
  only their old ways
• The communists also tried to destroy the
  traditional reverence for ancestors

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Traditions survive

• Respect for elders and other traditions survived
  mostly in rural areas.
• Families still gather enough money to bury their
  dead in expensive coffins.
• Although the old religions were banned, people
  hired Daoist priest to perform the required
  ceremonies
• Today, families gather together to celebrate the
  Spring Festival, the traditional time for
  honoring their ancestors

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Marriage

• In 1950, china passed a marriage law that
  provided for freedom of choice in marriages
• Under the law, women and men were equal
• The man is no longer dominant
• Young people no longer had to accept the marriage
  partner their parents had chosen

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Family size

• In the years of Communist rule, Chinas
  population more than doubled
• The government has taken strong measure to limit
  population growth
• The government has encouraged young men and women
  to delay marriage until they reach their mid- or
  late 20s
• On-child-per-family policy
• A family that accepts this policy receive wage
  raises such as first chance at scarce apartments
• Those who on having more than on child are fined
  or received only limited food rational for the
  second child
• Ive borne nine children, admitted one peasant
  woman in 1987. The first was a boy, but he died.
  Then I had seven girls Only the ninth time did
  heaven send another son. She paid increasingly
  large fines for each child

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A Changing Role for Women

• Before 1949, women were considered inferior to
  men
• They couldnt own property and were expected to
  obey and serve their husbands and to stay
  secluded inside the home
• Under Chinas 1950 constitution, the Communists
  introduced major changes for women
• Women enjoy equal rights with men in all spheres
  of political, economic, cultural, social, and
  family life. Men and women enjoy equal pay for
  equal work

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Education

• Since 1949, chinas communist leaders have
  emphasized literacy
• The government opened schools throughout China.
• It also opened up schools for adult
• The government made Mandarin Chinas official
  language
• It took steps to make Chinese script easier to
  learn

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Science and technology

• China has achieved an impressive record of
  inventions and scientific advances
• By the 1700s china fell behind the West
  technologically.
• Today, it is again putting great resources into
  scientific research