[Biweekly Symposium] No. 597: How did the Kuomintang of China Lose the Mainland.

Lecturer: ZHANG  Ming

Host: QIN Sidao

Commentators: WANG Haiguang, XIONG Wenzhao, HONG Zhenkuai, HAN Chaohua

Professor ZHANG Ming started with a brief review of the history. He mentioned several reasons that were widely circulated to explain the question, such as:

1. The CCP gave rural residents land, whereas the Kuomintang did not solve the land issue; 

2. The CCP was better at organization with more unity;

3. Chiang Kai-shek was incapable of leadership;

4. The CCP had too many intelligence agents and the intelligence they collected played a crucial role;

5. It was the will of the people.

However, Professor ZHANG Ming offered his interpretation. He thought there were three key factors that could explain the failure of the Kuomintang. 

1. a command economy that featured strong Leninist factors;

2. A modern war that was devastating the country in terms of resources and capital;

3. The failure of reforming the money. 

He then deliberated on this topic with the audience. 

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