The People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China, founded in 1949 after Mao Zedong's communist forces defeated the Nationalists, has undergone one of the most dramatic transformations in modern history. In seven decades, China went from a war-ravaged agrarian society to the world's second-largest economy, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty while maintaining single-party communist rule.

Mao's era (1949–1976) was marked by radical campaigns that reshaped Chinese society at enormous cost. The Great Leap Forward (1958–1962) caused a famine that killed an estimated 15–55 million people. The Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) unleashed political chaos, persecuted intellectuals, and destroyed cultural heritage. Yet Mao also unified a fractured nation, improved literacy and basic healthcare, and restored China's sense of sovereignty after a 'century of humiliation.'

Deng Xiaoping's reforms after 1978 opened China to market economics while maintaining political authoritarianism — a model that produced spectacular economic growth averaging nearly 10% annually for three decades. China's rise under subsequent leaders has reshaped global trade, geopolitics, and the debate over whether economic modernization inevitably leads to political liberalization. Under Xi Jinping, China has become more assertive internationally while tightening domestic control, raising questions about the future trajectory of the world's most populous nation.