had a number of aims to fulfil when he launched the Five-Antis Campaign in 1952.
The Communist Party (CPC) had only came to power a few years earlier in 1949, due to this they had decided to launch a number of campaigns to consolidate their power such as the Resist America and Aid Korea, and Suppression of Counter-Revolutionaries. Through these campaigns the party could enforce their own policies throughout China (mainly in cities however) while showing the masses that the CPC was the new government, not the Guomindang (GMD).
The aim behind the campaign itself was to stamp out corruption such as bribery, theft, tax evasion and cheating on contracts. They were determined to rid China of this corruption as there was no room for it in a Communist utopia and the previous rulers, the GMD, had run a system rife with corruption which the CPC wanted to have no association. By removing any possible GMD influences of the people the CPC could also consolidate their power.
Not only did the CPC consolidate power by removing rival influences, but they also consolidated their power through the terror they were using to enforce the campaign. People became afraid as they feared they could be sent to prison, labour camps, or be executed. Many who were subjected to the denunciations committed suicide as a response to the humiliation and torture.
Another factor which led to the introduction of the Five-Antis Campaign was Mao’s idea that if the people get involved the mass meetings and denunciated their employers or anyone else they suspected not only would they be helping Mao remove corruption but they would also become personally involved in the Revolution and therefore have greater respect and faith in it. By participating the masses would become emotionally involved in