jan 1, 1976 - Deng Xiaoping's Reforms
Description:
Following Mao's death, Hua Guofeng was named as his successor. However, Deng Xiaoping was able to maneuver himself into Hua's positions and became the most powerful leader in China by 1977. Deng's policies attempted to open up China's economy and remove some of the Maoist ideology left over. Deng visited many countries in an attempt to open up China's economy and changed wages so that they were paid based on productivity. Deng also loosened restrictions on farmers in China, giving them more autonomy over their production. Deng's reforms were very successful and modernized China's agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology, known as the Four Modernizations.
Sources:
http://www.chaos.umd.edu/history/prc4.html
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/china2.htm
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China Timeline - Andrew Li and Justin Li
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