How Did Mao Use Social Policy to Consolidate Power?

1350 Words6 Pages
During the 1950s and 1960s when Mao was in power, he had implemented different policies and laws to gain support for both him and the Communist party, in another word, consolidated the power. He used strict laws and the masses’ fear toward the poor condition of Laogai camp to repress the people. In the Mao era, he consolidated his power using repression, and improving the overall living condition and implementing policy toward specific targets in order to cement support. The ultimate purpose was to build loyalty towards the Communist party and build a new Chinese Communist world. When Laogai was first established in 1949, Mao used this system to create intimidation, by indirectly telling the masses that whoever go against Mao or the Communist party would be sent to the Laogai camps. People who had committed minor offenses would be sent to Laogai camp to make sure such offense would not be committed again. Staying in the Laogai camps had considered as a torture because of the extremely poor living conditions. People had crude and tight sleeping area. People in the camps had poor diet, what they usually received were gruel, cornbread and vegetable soup that made from the cheapest vegetables available. Some camps have reported two meals a day while others allowed three. The camps were also infested with many types of pest which would cause severe skin problems and lead to dangerous infections and eventually, causing death. Nevertheless, they were still forced to work even if they were ill. Under these extremely bad circumstances, many of them were driven to insanity and in many cases committed suicide. After knowing the conditions in the camps, masses would definitely paid heed to their words and deeds, which ultimately achieved Mao’s aim by eliminating objector and made people to be loyal to the Communist party. By implementing the Land Reform
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