Deng Xiaoping, << duhng shyow pihng >> (1904-1997), also spelled Teng Hsiao-p’ing, was China’s most influential leader from the late 1970’s, following the death of Mao Zedong, to the early 1990’s. Even though Deng resigned from his last remaining Communist Party and government posts in 1989 and 1990, he was still referred to as China’s “paramount leader.” Top party and government officials continued to consult Deng on all important issues and decisions. Deng’s influence enabled him to bring about major changes in China.
His leadership.
Mao Zedong, who had been China’s top leader, died in 1976. Deng then became the moving force behind cultural, economic, and political changes that began to occur in China. These changes were a response to the radical Communist policies of Mao. Under Deng, cultural contacts and trade between China and other countries increased. Deng also decreased the Communist Party’s regulation of business activity.
As a result of Deng’s economic changes, China’s economy grew and living conditions improved. However, the changes led to inflation and created more social inequality. Some of China’s Communist Party leaders opposed Deng’s policies, thus threatening the unity of the party.
Although Deng’s policies brought some political openness to Chinese society, many citizens called for a greater degree of democracy. In 1989, large numbers of people, especially students, demonstrated for more democracy. The military killed many of the demonstrators. Deng backed a strong response against the demonstrators. This position earned Deng hostility both in China and abroad. But the hostility did not diminish his power. In 1992, Deng advocated further opening to the outside world.
Deng used ideas from both Communism and other systems of government to modernize China’s economy. In 1962, Deng demonstrated his political flexibility by his statement: “It does not matter whether a cat is black or white so long as it catches mice.”
His life.
Deng was born Deng Xixian on Aug. 22, 1904, in the province of Sichuan, also called Szechwan, into a family of landowners. He became engaged in revolutionary activities while working and studying in France during the early 1920’s. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1924.
In 1927, fighting began between the Chinese Communists and the ruling Nationalists. Deng commanded Communist soldiers against Nationalists. The Communists won control of China in 1949. Deng had been elected to the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1945. In 1955, he became a member of the party’s Politburo—China’s chief policymaking body. In 1956, he was appointed general secretary of the Communist Party—then one of the highest posts.
In the early 1960’s, Deng came into conflict with party leader Mao Zedong over the amount of control the Communist Party should have in China. Deng believed that Mao’s strict allegiance to Communist principles had damaged the economy. Deng and many others who opposed Mao were removed from office during China’s Cultural Revolution (see China (The Cultural Revolution)). Deng returned to politics in 1973, only to be deposed again in early 1976. After Mao’s death in September 1976, Deng gradually emerged as the top leader in China. He died on Feb. 19, 1997.
