Contemporary Chinese Society

Final Paper

How The Great Deng Xiaoping Changed the Notion

of The Peoples Republic of China

Name: Mirza Tanveer Iqbal Chowdhury

ID:20129029
Major: Logistics Engineering & Management
 邓小平

Revolutionary Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping who died in 1997

is the main mastermind behind China’s reform and free
market policy. He was born in 1904 in Sichuan and was from a
modest family background. As he studied abroad, he had a
broad mindset as well as he joined Chinese Communist Party
when he was in Europe. After returning, his political activities
accelerated, and he contributed in various ways from various
positions. He fought with all other communist leaders in order
to create a socialist country. When Chairman Mao Zedong died
in 1976, he gradually climbed the ladder to power and
eventually made some groundbreaking policy reforms such as
free enterprise, family planning, nine year mandatory
education etc. He is considered as one of the most influential
leaders of 20th century. He was and still is famous for his
realistic speech such as: “It doesn’t matter if a cat is black
or white, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat”-
which signifies how practical and goal-driven he was. Because
of his farsighted vision and effective decision-making, the
development of China skyrocketed and China transformed
itself as an economic powerhouse.
Overall Contribution:

 Deng Xiaoping was greatly concerned pertaining to poverty

of China and he was determined to boost living standard of
Chinese people. In 1981, when he initiated reform project,
around 90% of Chinese people were suffering from massive
poverty. Since then because of his change in economical
policies, he successfully directed the nation in the right
notion. Poverty rate took a massive nosedive year by year,
and by 2013, it was accounted for merely 2%.

Table 1: Poverty Reduction Over the Years

 Income level rocketed over the years owing to good

financial regulations. Existing businesses expanded and
new enterprises started operating under the great Deng
Xiaoping’s leadership. The success of the China is regarded
as “Rags to Riches” as GDP has been boosted around 24
times higher in 2017 compared to 1978.
 Table 2: Increase in Income Over the Years

 In 1980, agriculture was more prevalent among Chinese

society, but because of economic reform facilitated by Deng
Xiaoping, industries such as construction and
manufacturing industries boomed. Furthermore, the
contribution of service industry (e.g. health care and
education) towards Chinese economy has been increasing
steadily. Nowadays, agriculture is solely accounted for less
than ten percent contribution on overall GDP which clearly
signifies the China is no longer dependent on agricultural
production.
 Table 3: Rise of Other Industries except Agriculture

 During 1980s, Shenzhen became first special economic

zone which allowed foreign direct investment (FDI) due to
free market policy taken by Deng Xiaoping . Nowadays,
Shenzhen has transformed itself as one of the cutting-edge
coastal cities in the world. In fact, it is so modern that it has
more skyscrappers comparing to other big cities in the
world. Today, China has several modern cities as
manufacturing and production hubs which have been
generating millions of jobs over the years.
 Table 4: Financial Boom Due to Special Economic
Zones

 Deng Xiaoping welcomed globalization, and as a

consequence, the amount of exports rose sharply which was
the output of Shenzhen and other Chinese manufacturing
centers. In 2005, exports as a share of China’s GDP
rocketed seven times higher compared to 1980.
 Table 5: Massive Surge in Exports

 Overpopulation was a huge issue, and the great leader Deng

Xiaoping realized that without proper family planning,
financial prosperity will remain a distant dream. That is
why, he enforced one-child policy which substantially
reduced birth rates and steered monetary development.
After establishing itself as an affluent nation and a
manufacturing giant, the Chinese Government eased this
policy by making it two-child policy.
 Table 6: Decrease in Fertility

Conclusion:

As a result of bold decisions taken by Deng Xiaoping at that

time, the China has been enjoying a magnificent period of
monetary and social advancement. The level of success which
China achieved in a short period is unmatched in history and
praiseworthy. This country will soon become the most
powerful country in the world which is also predicted by many
economists in the past.