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OCR A-level history: Society thematic essay
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Society thematic essay for china and it's rulers unit, I was awarded 22/ on this essay
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Ellie CainTo what extent was Chinese society more equal in the
period 1949-1989 than the period 1839-1949? (2018)
Chinese society gradually became more equal during the period 1839-1949, with factors
like the New Life Movement influencing the equality during this time, whereas the period
1949-1989 was for more equal than the later, with the removal of the 1950 laws, and
the influence from the West during Deng’s rule on education and culture.
The Imperial period contrasts Deng, due to him believing that education was valued for
women, whereas the Imperialists denied women any formal education and their role was
viewed as purely domestic. Another difference to the Imperial period is from Mao and his
1950 laws, during the Imperial period it was customary for arranged marriages and for
the family of the groom to be expected to pay the family of the bride depending on how
many children she was likely to have, which contrasts the 1950 laws, as all marriages had
to be registered officially, the price of the bride was now forbidden, along with this
arranged marriages and concubinage were abolished also, as a result of this many used
this newly found freedoms for divorce and the chance to remarry. Another law brought
in with Mao’s 1950 laws was the abolishment of foot binding, which contrasts Imperial
once again, as there was the belief that it made the women more attractive and it aimed
to reset movements. However, there is a similarity between the Imperial period and Deng,
as Western companies gave opportunities to women to work, as during Deng, women
were sent along with the men to Western Countries to learn skills of industry.
Deng’s education reforms are similar to that of the Revolution, as Sun Yatsen supported
efforts to expand the educational opportunities for women in China, leading to him
establishing schools and universities especially for women. Another similarly for the
Revolution and another period, lies with Mao and his 1950 laws around marriage, as Sun
made a legal change as well to the traditional marriage system and prohibited forced
marriages and also the legalisation of civil marriage. As well, the Revolution holds
similarities with all of the other periods, as in rural areas, women often worked in the
agricultural sector, though many did join the army during the Sino-Japanese War and also
worked in factories and in agriculture to support the war economy.
Mao’s idea of collectivisation is a difference to Deng, due to him abolishing it during his
rule, this idea meant that women could own and sell land and property, as well people
would eat in mess halls which meant that women no longer had to provide food for their
families and it increased the proportion of women in the workforce from 8% to 29%
between 1949-66. Though Mao does have a similarity to Deng and his One-Child Policy,
as during Mao’s rule the social values of China couldn’t be easily changed, therefore the
traditional patriarchal society which meant that women still had to fight against
prejudice, which is evident during Deng’s rule, as there was the favouring of male babies
due to them being seen as a sign of honour in a family and baby girls as a drain on
resources. Mao also has a similarity with the Imperial period, due to female liberation
being especially scarce in the rural areas of China in peasant families, which was where
women were still controlled by their male family members.
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