8.4 Spread of Communism After 1900

China became communist after 1900 because a mix of long-term weakness, war, and social unrest created an opening for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Decades of internal tension—corrupt Qing rule, weak republican governments, huge rural inequality, and peasant land hunger—made many people open to radical change. Japanese aggression in the 1930s (invasion and brutal occupation) discredited the Nationalist government (KMT) and boosted support for the CCP, which tied itself to peasant needs. Key CCP actions—organizing peasants, the Long March (which built Mao Zedong’s leadership and myth), and promises of land redistribution—converted popular support into political strength. After defeating the KMT in 1949 the CCP established the People’s Republic of China and carried out policies like the Agrarian Reform Law and later the Great Leap Forward. For AP prep, focus on causes vs. consequences (CED LO D) and use the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and extra practice (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

The Great Leap Forward (1958–1962) was Mao Zedong’s campaign to rapidly transform China from an agrarian economy into a socialist, industrial one. The government collectivized farms into large People’s Communes, forced communal labor, and pushed unrealistic grain and steel production targets—famously including “backyard furnaces” to make steel. It failed because of poor planning and incentives: local officials inflated production reports, coercive quotas removed peasants’ safety nets, and communes disrupted traditional farming practices. Natural disasters made things worse, but policy-caused mismanagement and grain requisitions for cities and exports produced a massive famine. Consequences: widespread starvation that killed tens of millions, loss of faith in Mao’s policies, and later policy shifts under leaders who reintroduced more pragmatic economic measures. This fits CED Topic 8.4: government control of the national economy (Great Leap Forward, People’s Communes) and negative repercussions. For review, see the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history). On the exam, this often appears as a cause/consequence short-answer or in LEQ prompts about communist economic policies.

Japanese aggression (especially the 1931 invasion of Manchuria and full-scale war from 1937) weakened the Nationalist government and created conditions the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) used to gain support. Nationalist troops suffered heavy losses, corruption and inflation undermined public confidence, and Chiang Kai-shek sometimes prioritized fighting Communists over resisting Japan. The CCP positioned itself as a disciplined, nationalist force fighting Japanese occupiers and implemented land reform and grassroots organizing in rural areas—winning peasant loyalty. The Long March and wartime resistance boosted Mao Zedong’s stature; after WWII, the CCP could mobilize popular support and military strength to seize power and proclaim the People’s Republic of China in 1949. This causal chain matches CED Topic 8.4 (Learning Objective D). For a concise review, check the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and use practice questions to prep for DBQ/SAQ evidence practice (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Short answer: both became communist, but their revolutions had different roots, leaders, and paths. China’s revolution (CCP under Mao Zedong) grew from internal breakdown of the Republic, civil war with the Nationalists, and wartime struggle with Japan; it was a peasant-based Marxist revolution that seized national power in 1949 (Long March, Agrarian Reform Law, then policies like the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution). Vietnam’s revolution (Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh) was primarily anti-colonial—communism was tied to national independence from France—so it combined nationalism and socialist goals; victory at Dien Bien Phu (1954) led to partition and later a Cold War–style reunification struggle against U.S.-backed forces. Key differences: China’s was a domestic socialist takeover consolidating state control over the economy; Vietnam’s began as decolonization-led insurgency that later became part of Cold War conflict. Good comparison material for an AP long essay or SAQ using CED terms (Mao, CCP, Viet Minh, Ho Chi Minh, land reform). Review Topic 8.4 on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Mostly because land = power and survival. After WWII and during decolonization, peasants and new governments saw huge inequality: small elites or colonial companies owned most land while rural majorities were poor. Redistributing land promised to reduce inequality, build political support, and create loyal peasant bases for new regimes (think Mao’s Agrarian Reform Law, Vietnam’s land policies, Kerala’s reforms, Mengistu’s Ethiopia). Communist and socialist ideas also framed land reform as a step toward state control of the economy (e.g., People’s Communes, Great Leap Forward). Consequences varied—sometimes increased support and modernization; sometimes chaos, food shortages, or repression (Great Leap Forward’s failures). On the AP exam, use these examples to show cause → policy → consequence causation and include specific evidence in essays or SAQs. For a focused review, see the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Communist policies in Mao’s China had major negative effects on everyday people. Land reform and the Agrarian Reform Law broke up landlord power but often led to violent struggle sessions and executions. The Great Leap Forward (collectivization into People’s Communes and unrealistic production targets) caused economic disruption and a famine that killed millions and left families starving. The Cultural Revolution targeted “bourgeois” elements—intellectuals, teachers, and perceived opponents—leading to persecution, public humiliation, lost schooling, and social chaos. Political repression limited freedoms: dissent was punished, local leaders could be arbitrary, and economic priorities often ignored peasants’ needs. For AP World, connect these consequences to LO D (China’s adoption of communism) and LO E (redistributive movements). For a focused review, see the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t). Practice DBQ/LEQ prep using related evidence on Fiveable (unit overview: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8; practice problems: https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Start with a tight thesis that answers “how and why communism spread” (e.g., internal crises + external support) and state your line of reasoning. Contextualize briefly: post-1900 upheavals, imperial collapse, WWII/Cold War rivalry, and decolonization. Use at least four documents to support claims (describe, don’t just quote) and bring one piece of outside evidence—for Topic 8.4, good choices are Mao’s Long March/People’s Republic creation, Great Leap Forward/People’s Communes, Viet Minh/Ho Chi Minh, Kerala land reform, or Mengistu’s Derg. For two documents, explain POV/purpose/audience or historical situation (e.g., CCP propaganda vs. peasant testimony). Show complexity: compare China’s top-down revolution with rural guerrilla movements like Vietnam or land redistribution in India/Ethiopia. Conclude by linking consequences (state control of economy, repressive policies, global Cold War alignments). Review the Topic 8.4 study guide for facts and examples (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t), the unit page (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8) and practice Qs (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Short answer: sometimes—land reform had mixed success. In places like Kerala, state-led land reforms (breaking up large estates, granting tenant rights) did meaningfully reduce rural inequality, boost smallholder security, and supported improvements in literacy and health—so historians and the AP CED treat Kerala as a partial success in redistributing resources (useful evidence for Learning Objective E). By contrast, Iran’s White Revolution (1960s) redistributed some land and modernized agriculture but often benefited buyers, weakened traditional peasant structures, sidelined the clergy, and failed to create stable, productive small farms—contributing to political backlash rather than long-term rural prosperity. Both examples show a common pattern: legal redistribution can help, but outcomes depend on implementation, credit/access to markets, and political consequences. Good to cite these in essays or DBQs for Topic 8.4 (see the Topic 8.4 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t). For practice questions, try the AP practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Because most colonies and poor states had big inequalities in land, wealth, and power, ideas about land- and resource-redistribution (socialism/communism) looked like realistic ways to fix problems. Anti-colonial nationalism after WWI–II plus peasants’ and workers’ grievances made radical solutions attractive. Successful revolutions (like the Chinese Communist Party under Mao) and anti-colonial communist movements in Vietnam showed a model to copy. Cold War rivalry also mattered: the USSR and China funded, trained, or praised leftist movements, giving them resources and legitimacy. Local leaders (e.g., Viet Minh, Mengistu, land reforms in Kerala) blended nationalism with redistribution to win mass support. For AP exam use: link these causes to specific consequences (land reform, Great Leap Forward, repression) and use illustrative examples named in the CED. For a focused review, see the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t). For extra practice, try problems at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Mengistu Haile Mariam was the leader of Ethiopia’s military junta, the Derg, that overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 and ruled until 1991. He declared Ethiopia a Marxist-Leninist state, aligned closely with the USSR, and pushed radical land and resource redistribution: the Derg nationalized land, banned private ownership, and tried collectivization. Mengistu’s government used authoritarian, often repressive measures (including the “Red Terror” campaign) to eliminate opposition, which caused widespread human-rights abuses, political purges, economic disruption, and contributed to instability and famine. His regime is an AP illustrative example of movements to redistribute resources and the spread of communism in postcolonial states (see Topic 8.4—Mengistu/Derg) and is useful evidence for Learning Objective E. For quick review, see the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t). For more practice, try Fiveable’s AP World practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Vietnam’s communist revolution succeeded because it combined effective organization, broad popular support, and favorable international timing. Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh framed communism as a nationalist independence movement, promising land redistribution and appealing to peasants (agrarian reform), so they gained mass rural support. They used prolonged guerrilla strategies and political mobilization to outlast the French after WWII and then the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese later—building legitimacy through social reform and steady control of countryside. Japanese WWII disruption weakened French rule, and Chinese communist victory plus Soviet aid provided resources and training. Unlike some movements that stayed elite-led or lacked rural support, the Viet Minh’s blend of nationalism, land reform, and grassroots organization let them consolidate territory and state institutions, leading to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. For AP essays/DBQs, use Viet Minh/Ho Chi Minh and land reform as specific evidence (see the Topic 8.4 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t). For more review, check Unit 8 (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Economic breakdowns—like land shortages, high taxes, inflation, unemployment, or wartime disruption—create popular grievances that make radical solutions attractive. When peasants or urban workers face dispossession and see elites or foreign powers profiting, movements promising redistribution and state control of the economy gain support. For example, China’s long-term rural inequality, war, and Japanese aggression helped the Chinese Communist Party win peasant backing (see Agrarian Reform Law, Long March, Mao Zedong in the CED). Similar patterns show up with the Viet Minh/Vietnamese land reform and Mengistu’s Derg in Ethiopia: economic crisis + weak state legitimacy = appetite for communist/socialist redistribution. On the AP exam, questions often ask you to explain causes AND consequences, so use specific examples (China’s Great Leap Forward → state control and negative repercussions) and connect economic grievances to political outcomes (DBQ/LEQ). For review, check the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

When China adopted communism under Mao, long-term consequences for its population included major economic and social reorganization plus severe human costs. Early policies (Agrarian Reform Law, land redistribution) broke landlord power and improved peasant access to land. Later campaigns—collectivization, the Great Leap Forward (people’s communes)—centralized control of agriculture and industry and led to policy-driven famine with estimates of deaths in the tens of millions and widespread disruption of rural life. The Cultural Revolution caused political repression, disruption of education and careers, and social trauma as elites and intellectuals were purged. Over decades the state also expanded literacy, public health, and industrialization, changing demographics and urbanization. For AP exam use: connect causes (internal tensions, Japanese invasion) to consequences (economic control, humanitarian impact, social/political upheaval) in short-answer or LEQ responses. See the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and Unit 8 review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8). For practice, try Fiveable’s AP practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Communist governments imposed state control by nationalizing land and industry, using central planning (Five-Year Plans), collectivizing agriculture into communes/cooperatives (e.g., People's Communes), and enforcing state-set quotas and prices (Agrarian Reform Law, Great Leap Forward). They also used party bureaucracy and campaigns (Cultural Revolution) to direct labor and purge opposition. Those tools caused problems because central plans ignored local knowledge and market signals, created weak incentives for productivity, and encouraged false reporting of output. Collectivization disrupted traditional farming, contributing to terrible famines in China during the Great Leap Forward. Large bureaucracies were inefficient and slow to respond to shortages, and political campaigns prioritized ideology over skilled management, producing long-term stagnation and human suffering. Understanding these causes and consequences maps directly to CED Learning Objective D (China) and E (land/resource redistribution). For a focused review, see the Topic 8.4 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t), Unit 8 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8), and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

The White Revolution (1963) was Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s top-down reform program that tried to modernize Iran and undercut leftist appeal by redistributing resources. Key measures: land reform (breaking up large estates and giving land to peasant families), nationalization of forests and pastures, profit-sharing for industrial workers, literacy campaigns, and women's suffrage. In AP terms it’s an example of a movement to redistribute economic resources (CED Topic 8.4, Learning Objective E). The reforms aimed to weaken communist/socialist appeal by shifting land and economic benefits toward peasants and workers, but uneven implementation and loss of elite support helped fuel opposition—a long-term cause of the 1979 revolution. For exam use: you can cite White Revolution as an illustrative example of state-led land/resource redistribution and link it to broader Cold War-era efforts to prevent communist influence. See the Topic 8.4 study guide for review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-8/spread-communism-after-1900/study-guide/PE1gXiyZmGSdNGOooc2t) and practice questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).