In 1949 Mao Zedong proclaimed that the Chinese people had “stood up,” and over the past 65 years China has risen to become a global power. But China’s rise has come with new challenges, which this presentation explores within the context of China’s modern history.  Beginning with the glorious reign of the Qianlong emperor, we’ll cover China’s partial colonization after the Opium War, the century of war and revolution that led to the victory of the Chinese Communists, and the brief but undeniably significant history of the People’s Republic. Prof Smith is the author of the book “Thought Reform and China’s Dangerous Classes: Reeducation, Resistance, and the People.”

Please check the OLLI web site for additional lectures in the 6-week series, “China’s Internal and External Challenges and Opportunities”, Thursdays, January 8 - February 12.
http://www.olli-umich.org/programs_activities/lectures/3rd_Lecture_Series.pdf