History glossary
People's Republic of China
the Communist-led state proclaimed by Mao Zedong on 1 October 1949.
- Category
- State
- Region
- China
- Date range
- from 1949
What it means
The People's Republic of China is the Communist-led state proclaimed by Mao Zedong in Beijing on 1 October 1949 after Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. It replaced Nationalist rule on the mainland and became the institutional basis of Mao's China.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Cold War
Rivalry between East and West shapes global politics - through proxy wars, propaganda, and nuclear tension.
The Kim Dynasty
North Korea’s Kim dynasty built a nuclear-armed regime, maintaining power through crises and control.
The Korean War
A Cold War conflict that divided Korea, ending in stalemate and a lasting unresolved border.
Mao's China
After 1949, Mao transformed China through party rule, collectivisation, ideological campaigns, and mass upheaval, leaving a legacy of power, trauma, and state continuity.
The Rise of China
After Mao, China combined market reform with one-party rule, using exports, cities, technology, and nationalism to become one of the world's most powerful states.
