The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gained power in 1949 after leading a protracted civil war against the ruling Kuomintang (KMT). The CCP, led by Mao Zedong, had formed in 1921 and was largely a peasant-based revolutionary movement aimed at overthrowing the KMT. In 1934, the CCP began the famous Long March, a 6,000 mile trek that lasted over a year in order to evade capture by the KMT and reach the relative safety of Yan’an. After arriving in Yan’an, the CCP established a base from which they would launch the “War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression” during the Second World War, creating an influx of support from the Chinese people and numerous foreign countries.
At the end of World War II, in 1945, the CCP remained in an advantageous position to overtake the weakened KMT. However, the KMT’s superior organization and military strength were still capable of countering the growing CCP. Open warfare between the two sides eventually broke out in April of 1946 and lasted for three years. During this time, the CCP faced a number of serious challenges, including dwindling resources, rampant desertion, and numerous political difficulties. Despite its obstacles, the CCP had gained control of a vast majority of the Chinese mainland by August of 1949 and had managed to secure enough political and military power to capture the capital of Nanjing.
On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong declared the People’s Republic of China in Tiananmen Square and declared the beginning of a new era for the Chinese state. The CCP would dominate Chinese politics from this point onward, beginning a period of rule that would last over five decades and counting. During this time, the CCP implemented sweeping economic and social reforms, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. These initiatives, while initially well received by many, eventually resulted in great suffering for the Chinese people through famine, persecution, and violence.
Despite the numerous human rights abuses that occurred during this period, the CCP has continued to maintain power by adapting and responding to the changing needs of the Chinese people. In the 1980s, the CCP introduced reforms to the economy, creating a more market-oriented system and thus allowing economic growth. With economic liberalization came greater openness towards the international community and the world at large, resulting in widespread public welfare developments and an unprecedented degree of foreign investment.
The Chinese people have seen numerous improvements in their quality of life since the CCP’s inception and their continued support of the Party shows no signs of diminishing. While there remains a number of issues for the CCP to address in terms of democratization, transparency and human rights violations, it appears for now that the CCP will remain in power for the foreseeable future.