Report
Maoist Theories of Policy-Making and Organization: Lessons from the Cultural Revolution
Jan 1, 1969
The Politics of Chinese Strategic Planning
Format | File Size | Notes |
---|---|---|
PDF file | 3.8 MB | Use Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher for the best experience. |
Format | List Price | Price | |
---|---|---|---|
Add to Cart | Paperback74 pages | $25.00 | $20.00 20% Web Discount |
By purging Lo Jui-ch'ing, Chief of Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), in December 1965, the Maoists were able to eliminate a politician whose opposition to Mao was suggested by his persistent, public dissent on basic strategic and domestic politics. This report presents a plausible explanation of Lo's purge by linking the documents of the Vietnam debate and the revelations of internal politics during the Cultural Revolution. Implications for present and future Chinese policymaking are: (1) Alternative Chinese defense policies can be evaluated according to narrow bureaucratic interests as well as broader strategic considerations. (2) China's strategic posture is formulated and modified with careful assessment of domestic implications. (3) Maoists are reluctant to permit national security functions of the PLA to take precedence over its domestic political functions. (4) The Maoist strategy for deterring potential invaders is to make them aware of the high costs involved in attempting to breach Maoist authority. (See also R-487.)
This report is part of the RAND Corporation Report series. The report was a product of the RAND Corporation from 1948 to 1993 that represented the principal publication documenting and transmitting RAND's major research findings and final research.
This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.