FALL 2024

When the People Stand Up: 75 Years of the Chinese Revolution

Seventy-five years ago, on October 1, 1949, the Chinese Revolution triumphed and millions of Chinese people ‘stood up', signaling the beginning of a long journey of building socialism. In these 75 years, the people of China have taken the future into their own hands. Forging a new path forward meant overcoming legacies of war and imperialist exploitation, to embark on a process that would transform their country, and ultimately, the world.

The study of this revolutionary process raises pressing questions for those of us in struggle today. Together, we will study this revolutionary process, what led to victory in 1949, the various phases and changes since then, and China’s relationships with both the U.S. and the Third World. This course will raise important aspects about these 75 years of China’s process from revolutionary struggle to socialist modernization

“From now on our nation will belong to the community of the peace-loving and freedom-loving nations of the world and work courageously and industriously to foster its own civilization and well-being and at the same time to promote world peace and freedom. Ours will no longer be a nation subject to insult and humiliation. We have stood up.”

MAO ZEDONG, 
September 21, 1949

  • Everyone from all contexts, backgrounds, and identities is welcome to register - this course is available to all who aim to study revolutionary processes in order to make one!  No prior study on China is necessary to join the course. If you are in an organization, we encourage you to sign up and take the course together.

  • This is a 3-week course, from October 12 to October 26, that meets on Saturdays from 3 - 6 PM ET each week. Participants with work/life schedules or based in time zones that preclude them from participating live will have access to the recordings and can follow the course at their own pace.

  •  This is a hybrid program that allows participation from anywhere worldwide. For those in the New York area, in-person classes are held at The People’s Forum, 320 W 37th Street, New York, NY 10018 (between 8th and 9th Avenues). To get to TPF, you can take the 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, M, N, Q, R trains. TPF is an accessible building, with elevators and wheelchair-accessible gender-neutral bathrooms, and masks are available at the front desk.  

    For participants who will be attending virtually, a Zoom link will be sent prior to each session.

  • Register for the course here! This is a free course, and we depend on your support in sustaining this program. Please donate to help continue our political education programming.  

    The registration will remain open throughout the course but we encourage you to register as soon as possible to get all of the information before the start of the course. If you join after the course has started, please use the materials provided to catch up. 

    If you have any questions, please contact us at education@peoplesforum.org.