The Role of Women in China

1. Changes under Mao: 1949-1963
Learning Objectives:
Explain how the role of women changed under Mao between 1949-1957
Identify and explain the political changes made by Mao in the years 1949-1957

2. The Role of Women pre
1949
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
Lower Class
Middle Class
Research: Explain the role that
each class of women played before
1949?

3. The Role of Women before
1949
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
Generations of females were to suffer
not only physical abuse but also other
forms of discrimination.
Other problems:
• CHILD-BRIDES
• MARRIAGE-BROKERS
• POLYGAMY
• SALE OF WIVES
• NO LEGAL PROTECTION: on
marrying, women became the
property of their husbands. Any
personal wealth was given over to
the husband’s family.

4. The New Marriage Law of 1
May 1950 gave women
legal equality with men. It
brought a logical conclusion
to the struggle that had
started during the May 4th
Movement (1919) to bring
an end to feudal practices.
The CCP first introduced
the practice in the Jiangxi
Soviet in the early 1930s
and at Yenan.
The 1950 Marriage Law
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957

5. The 1950 Marriage Law
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
1. Married women were now protected by law.
2. Wives had equal rights with their husbands.
3. Arranged marriages were banned – people could marry for love. Match-
makers were banned.
4. Polygamy [having more than one wife] was banned i.e. having
concubines was forbidden.
5. Child-brides were forbidden.
6. Sale of women was forbidden.
7. Women could now obtain divorces.
The 1950 New Marriage Law more than any other single
reform was to transform the lives of China’s women.

6. The 1950 Marriage Law
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
Women now had free choice!
Poster showing the registration of a marriage that has been decided on by free
choice rather than having been arranged.

7. The Marriage Law was
accompanied by much
propaganda . . .
‘A free and independent marriage is
good, there is great happiness in
united production’
‘Freedom of Marriage, happiness and
good luck’

8. Was it all positive though?
Who would work in the fields? The law led many to believe that its notion of 'free
love', i.e. marriages that were not coerced or arranged, actually meant that people
could have sex with whomever they wanted. On the other hand, the introduction of
the law also led to large numbers of marriage-dispute cases, divorces, murders
and suicides.

9. Women in Education
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
Between 1950 and 1960 the number of teachers in China rose from ½ million to 2½
million, and the number of primary school pupils doubled to 100 million. Education
was indoctrinated – teachers made to teach about communist beliefs.

10. LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
Bare foot doctors
Women played a central role in spreading basic medical provision and ideas about
hygiene to rural communities. The Communist government established a system of
‘bare foot’ doctors who were sent to peasant villages to tend to peoples basic
medical needs. Women were prominent in participating in this service. Crèches
were as created n the work place for children to be looked after.

11. Women in Industry
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
Women were encouraged to play a larger role in developing
China’s economy. They were encouraged to develop new skills
and to take on new responsibilities.
In these next
series of
images, what
role do
women have
and are they
better off?

14. BUT: One of the consequences of the 1950
Marriage Law was that women were treated as
equal to men in all things and were expected to
cope with the same back-breaking physical
labour as men.
BUT: Besides taking on new jobs and
responsibilities most women were still expected
to maintain their traditional role within the home
by looking after the family.

15. Additional Economic, Social
and Political Changes
LO: Explain how the
role of women
changed under Mao
between 1949-1957
• With women now in work, unemployment fell dramatically.
• The eight hour, six day working week was introduced – one
weeks paid holiday a year and up to three weeks ‘family visiting’
holiday.
• This was to compensate for lack of choice in work as worked
assigned jobs by the state labour offices – often had little regard
for ability and was usually for life.
• Residence permits prevented people moving – virtually
impossible to move from countryside to city.
• Retirement ages were introduced with Pensions at 60-80% of
income.
• Education and health services free for all.