• Introduction to China's Political System [Overview]
This unit provides an overview of the Chinese political system for teachers. It is taken from the U.S. Department of State's Background Notes: China. A chronology of China under Mao, 1949-76, is also included. For a discussion of the broader historical context and developments in 19th- and early-20th-century China refer to the [history, 1800-present] under View by Subject Area.

• The Chinese Political System and the Communist Party [Reading]
This unit provides an overview of the Chinese political system and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with excerpts from the constitutions of the Communist Party of China and of the People's Republic of China. These primary documents can highlight for students how the Communist Party is the real political power in China. A chart of the political structure of China is also included, to help students better understand the relationship between the party and the state in a communist system. Discussion questions also included.

• What Makes a Good Communist Party Member? [Reading]
This unit provides a discussion of the personal and political qualifications for CCP (Chinese Communist Party) membership and of how to best be a good communist. Discussion questions are included. A brief introduction is followed by the following primary-source readings: Quotations from Chairman Mao on Being a Good Communist in China; "How to be a Good Communist," by Liu Shaoqi; and Letter to the Editor on the Criteria for Communist Youth League Membership.

• The Commune System [Reading]
This unit offers a discussion of the commune system in China. While the commune system is no longer used in China, knowledge of it is important background for grasping some of the problems China faces and the solutions the Communist government has proposed. Included in this unit is a reading on the commune system; a chart of commune organization; and an outline of the stages of rural collectivization.

• Chinese Leaders [Reading]
This unit introduces students to three significant leaders of modern China: Mao Zedong (1893-1976), Zhou Enlai (1898-1976), and Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997). Includes several of Mao's most well-known and commonly read speeches. (For more on China in the Mao and post-Mao years, refer to the above Introduction to China's Political System.)

• Democratic Theory in China and Tiananmen Square [Reading]
This unit provides a brief introduction to the history of democratic theory in China and a discussion of the events prior to and on June 4, 1989 at Tiananmen Square. Discussion questions are included. Several readings and a brief chronology of events at Tiananmen are included. Primary-source readings include: The May 13th Hunger Strike Declaration and Interview at Tiananmen Square with Chai Ling.