http://www.bwbs.de/bwbs_biografie/Schuman_Plan_presented_B1186.html
This is a website displaying a political cartoon. The purpose of this cartoon is to show the European Coal and Steel Union and how countries are working collaboratively. The limitations are that in this cartoon we don't know which countries are represented, it can be assumed that it's France and Germany but not proven true. This helps what we have learned in class because it shows the need for balanced power or else one person (country) attains too much of the coal or too much power.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, November 8, 2010
China's Power Struggle
1.)What tensions developed within the CCP between 1962 and 1966?
Mao, once he dropped from the prominent place of power was still worried that his most loyal colleagues (Liu and Deng) would put him out of power so they could attain the power themselves. In the early 1960s in the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai, supporters of Liu and Deng took over the local government and began to reverse the collectivization program. Mao was beginning to regret being withdrawn form the prominent spot of the party; his leaving was leading to factions being developed.
2.) How did Lin Biao help turn Mao into a cult?
In the early 19060s Lin Biao and Chen Boda created the "Little Red Book," which was a collections of thoughts and ideas from Mao from the 1920s. This book became a 'bible' like book in which people read, followed, and acted upon his teachings, it was a source of 'truth.' The PLA (military). This way the strongest force with the highest prestige was solely committed to Mao. It then spread to the "civilian sphere" and the PLA was an example of a true revolutionary spirit. It soon became a book read everyday and taught in schools and social necessity.
3.) Why was the play "The Dismissal" of Hai Rui from Office', so significant in the power struggle?
This play was performed between 1961 and 1965 and told the story of a court official who was demoted and punished after defying the orders of a cruel emperor. The director wasn't a supporter of Mao so it could be assumed that it was in reference to Mao's dismissal of Peng Dehuai for oppsoing the Great Leap Forward and stating the truth at Lushan about the famine. The play provided Lin Biao with a pretext for moving against the anti-Maoist elements in the party. However, because the play undermined and made a move against promoting anti-Mao movements he was charged.
4.) What differences of opinion within the CCP did the Wu Han affair reveal?
This affair deepened the division in the CCP and between the CCP and the PLA. Mao's wife denounced "reactionaries and revisionists" on the right of the party. She also aimed at undermining he Group of Five. The Group of Five was aimed to act as peacemakers to prevent parties from splitting wider. She did this under the fact that they "moderation at a time when utter ruthlessness was the only proper response." Gang Four was a ruthless group which had risen in the CCP and was feared and had become members of the Politburo. Mao's wife urged the removal of these men from the CCP and further demanded that Chinese culture should be cleansed of those writers and artists whose attitude betrayed their lack of commitment to Mao's revolution. The severity of her approach made Lin Biao ask her to be in charge of the PLA's cultural policy.
The Shanghai Forum identified the 'counter-revolutionaries' who must be struggled against and destroyed. The Forum's answer was for the PLA to lead China in "rooting out anit-socialist weeds" and take out all the " traces of artistic corruption that delayed achievement of a truly protalitarian culture." Lin's statement about tearing down class enemies began a purge of the party.
5.) Why was the creation of the CCRG such a significant move?
The CCRG was dominated by the Gang of Four which was an instrument in which Mao used to run the Cultural Revolution. The CCRG had such heavy influence that it could undermine the CCP and Mao began to define the enemy within the CCP. Mao stated that "those representatives of the Bourgeoisie..once conditions ripen..will seize power and turn the dictatorship of the proletariat into the dictatorship of the Bourgeoisie." This statement led to the "announcement" that China had entered a tumultuous and terrifying period of political and social history known as the Cultural Revolution.
Mao, once he dropped from the prominent place of power was still worried that his most loyal colleagues (Liu and Deng) would put him out of power so they could attain the power themselves. In the early 1960s in the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai, supporters of Liu and Deng took over the local government and began to reverse the collectivization program. Mao was beginning to regret being withdrawn form the prominent spot of the party; his leaving was leading to factions being developed.
2.) How did Lin Biao help turn Mao into a cult?
In the early 19060s Lin Biao and Chen Boda created the "Little Red Book," which was a collections of thoughts and ideas from Mao from the 1920s. This book became a 'bible' like book in which people read, followed, and acted upon his teachings, it was a source of 'truth.' The PLA (military). This way the strongest force with the highest prestige was solely committed to Mao. It then spread to the "civilian sphere" and the PLA was an example of a true revolutionary spirit. It soon became a book read everyday and taught in schools and social necessity.
3.) Why was the play "The Dismissal" of Hai Rui from Office', so significant in the power struggle?
This play was performed between 1961 and 1965 and told the story of a court official who was demoted and punished after defying the orders of a cruel emperor. The director wasn't a supporter of Mao so it could be assumed that it was in reference to Mao's dismissal of Peng Dehuai for oppsoing the Great Leap Forward and stating the truth at Lushan about the famine. The play provided Lin Biao with a pretext for moving against the anti-Maoist elements in the party. However, because the play undermined and made a move against promoting anti-Mao movements he was charged.
4.) What differences of opinion within the CCP did the Wu Han affair reveal?
This affair deepened the division in the CCP and between the CCP and the PLA. Mao's wife denounced "reactionaries and revisionists" on the right of the party. She also aimed at undermining he Group of Five. The Group of Five was aimed to act as peacemakers to prevent parties from splitting wider. She did this under the fact that they "moderation at a time when utter ruthlessness was the only proper response." Gang Four was a ruthless group which had risen in the CCP and was feared and had become members of the Politburo. Mao's wife urged the removal of these men from the CCP and further demanded that Chinese culture should be cleansed of those writers and artists whose attitude betrayed their lack of commitment to Mao's revolution. The severity of her approach made Lin Biao ask her to be in charge of the PLA's cultural policy.
The Shanghai Forum identified the 'counter-revolutionaries' who must be struggled against and destroyed. The Forum's answer was for the PLA to lead China in "rooting out anit-socialist weeds" and take out all the " traces of artistic corruption that delayed achievement of a truly protalitarian culture." Lin's statement about tearing down class enemies began a purge of the party.
5.) Why was the creation of the CCRG such a significant move?
The CCRG was dominated by the Gang of Four which was an instrument in which Mao used to run the Cultural Revolution. The CCRG had such heavy influence that it could undermine the CCP and Mao began to define the enemy within the CCP. Mao stated that "those representatives of the Bourgeoisie..once conditions ripen..will seize power and turn the dictatorship of the proletariat into the dictatorship of the Bourgeoisie." This statement led to the "announcement" that China had entered a tumultuous and terrifying period of political and social history known as the Cultural Revolution.
Friday, June 11, 2010
TOK 2
What do you understand by George Orwell’s comment that “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past”? To what extent do you agree with it, and its implications?
Those who have power in the past by controlling land or politcs control the present. They have gained up power to put into texts books and their accomplishments are discussed and learned. Because of all the power built-up they can control the future as well.
For example the USA became a super power and now hass the ability to control the future and how countries deal with each other. They have leverage on the global level to control and dicatate what happens. The textbooks are written by the 'winners' or countries that have control. An example could be Stalin and Hitler when they had global power. Hitler made the schools teach Nazi idealogy and altered the textbooks in order to engrave into the young scholars heads his ideas of how the World should be. Stalin had people cut out from text books and completly altered textbooks to show his power and just like Hitler, engrave into his comarads heads 'socialism in one country' and all his ieadlogies beat out capitilism. Oppostion was cut out of the textbooks as well to show no other view point can be thought of.
Those who have power in the past by controlling land or politcs control the present. They have gained up power to put into texts books and their accomplishments are discussed and learned. Because of all the power built-up they can control the future as well.
For example the USA became a super power and now hass the ability to control the future and how countries deal with each other. They have leverage on the global level to control and dicatate what happens. The textbooks are written by the 'winners' or countries that have control. An example could be Stalin and Hitler when they had global power. Hitler made the schools teach Nazi idealogy and altered the textbooks in order to engrave into the young scholars heads his ideas of how the World should be. Stalin had people cut out from text books and completly altered textbooks to show his power and just like Hitler, engrave into his comarads heads 'socialism in one country' and all his ieadlogies beat out capitilism. Oppostion was cut out of the textbooks as well to show no other view point can be thought of.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
IRL 23
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE656171201006
This is a website that discusses the issues arising between Israel and Turkey over a blockade. This adds value to what we are learning because it adds to present day pressures because of the past events we learned about. The bordering Arab countries alliances against Israel is repeating itself between Turkey and Syria against Israel. The limitation of this article is that it's a blog which is often times solely based on opinion. However, the purpose of showing the Syrian and Turkey collaboration.
This is a website that discusses the issues arising between Israel and Turkey over a blockade. This adds value to what we are learning because it adds to present day pressures because of the past events we learned about. The bordering Arab countries alliances against Israel is repeating itself between Turkey and Syria against Israel. The limitation of this article is that it's a blog which is often times solely based on opinion. However, the purpose of showing the Syrian and Turkey collaboration.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
IRL 22
http://anjameulenbelt.sp.nl/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/080408-kasrils-zapiro.jpg
This is a poltical cartoon that caused much debate since it critizes the Jewish hypocrisies in terms of propagenda taught about the Jewish opression side of becoming idependent and this side shows hwo the Palestiants suffered. Thiss adds value to what we are learning because it adds to the Deir Yassin idea of massacre of Palestians due to Jewish agression and it shows a differeing viewpoint. However, the limitations are that it only shows one viewpoint of what happened in Deir Yassin and doesn't show the Jewish struggle for a homeland. This cartoon was created by a man from South African cartoonist Zaprio who later got 'attacked' by David Saks of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.
This is a poltical cartoon that caused much debate since it critizes the Jewish hypocrisies in terms of propagenda taught about the Jewish opression side of becoming idependent and this side shows hwo the Palestiants suffered. Thiss adds value to what we are learning because it adds to the Deir Yassin idea of massacre of Palestians due to Jewish agression and it shows a differeing viewpoint. However, the limitations are that it only shows one viewpoint of what happened in Deir Yassin and doesn't show the Jewish struggle for a homeland. This cartoon was created by a man from South African cartoonist Zaprio who later got 'attacked' by David Saks of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.
Monday, May 17, 2010
IRL 21
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/britainatwar/4968167/Stalins-four-point-foreign-policy-Mar-11-1939.html
This news article from telegraph.co.uk is a saummary of events of Stalin's foreign policy and gives it gives value to my history IA beecause iy gives me a summary of what he felt to be the most important policies or issues neeeded to be talked about. The limitations on this articlefar surpass the value since it doesn't show who wrote the article and the newspapers are often times misleading inreagrds to quotes or facts.
This news article from telegraph.co.uk is a saummary of events of Stalin's foreign policy and gives it gives value to my history IA beecause iy gives me a summary of what he felt to be the most important policies or issues neeeded to be talked about. The limitations on this articlefar surpass the value since it doesn't show who wrote the article and the newspapers are often times misleading inreagrds to quotes or facts.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
IRL 20
http://www.sturgischarterpublicschool.org/
This is a viewpoint essay found in the Gale Resource Data BAse and could be of greate value tomy history IA since it discusses Stalin's foreign policy with the US and could add insight on how the US felt towards his policy. The YAlta Confernace is a big part of Stalin's foreign policy, as in spheres of influence. The idea that the US didn't hold Stalin to his commitments was an idea that could be added in part B to add value to it as well. The fact that this source is a topic essay can lead to limitations but also display both viewpoints of a certain topic. The limitation of this source is it's in the west's perspective of the Yalta Conferance and not the USSR's but overall this source is helpful.
This is a viewpoint essay found in the Gale Resource Data BAse and could be of greate value tomy history IA since it discusses Stalin's foreign policy with the US and could add insight on how the US felt towards his policy. The YAlta Confernace is a big part of Stalin's foreign policy, as in spheres of influence. The idea that the US didn't hold Stalin to his commitments was an idea that could be added in part B to add value to it as well. The fact that this source is a topic essay can lead to limitations but also display both viewpoints of a certain topic. The limitation of this source is it's in the west's perspective of the Yalta Conferance and not the USSR's but overall this source is helpful.
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