New Party History: Reimagining Contemporary Chinese History Through Social Science

Defining the Scope

Clarifying the distinct definitions and overlaps between "Contemporary Chinese History," "National History," and the concept of "New Party History" as introduced by Cao Shuji.

SCOPE

Narrative Digest: Core Concepts

The field of Contemporary Chinese History is gaining significant academic attention. However, defining its core concepts like "Contemporary History," "National History," and "Party History" proves challenging. "Contemporary History" post-1949 is a temporal extension of modern Chinese history, but practical accessibility of recent historical records (typically 30 years old) limits its professional scope to before the 1980s.

"National History" (or PRC history) is a subset focusing on the state's political, economic, and social aspects, increasingly incorporating micro-level daily life details. Cao Shuji positions himself as a "New Party History" researcher, a field he argues is central to understanding "National History."

Temporal Constraints

Professional study of "Contemporary History" is practically limited to events before the 1980s due to the 30-year rule for historical record accessibility.

~30

Years for record accessibility

Party History as Core

Cao Shuji argues that "New Party History" should focus on the CCP's major policies and movements post-1949, acting as the core and axis of "National History."

Conceptual Diagram: Party as Axis

AHA!

The "Aha!" Moment: Great Famine & Policy

Professor Cao's work on the "Great Famine" is a prime example of how "Party History" research is intrinsically linked to "National History." His analysis wasn't just about population numbers; it was about understanding the policy drivers behind the tragedy.

This demonstrates that to truly understand national events, one must analyze the Party's directives and actions, making it central to both "Party History" and "National History."

Pioneering New Methodologies

Focusing on the innovative, interdisciplinary research methods employed by Professor Cao Shuji and his team to advance the study of "New Party History."

INNOVATE

Narrative Digest: Research Journey & Archive

Professor Cao's research into the "Great Famine" naturally led him into "New Party History." His quest to understand the famine's origins led him back to studying land ownership, revealing that social and economic history could serve as a foundational element.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University's history department has built a significant archive of over 40,000 volumes (4 million pages) from over 50 county-level archives across China, serving as a crucial data center.

Massive Archival Resource

Over 40,000 volumes (equivalent to 4 million pages) collected from 50+ county archives nationwide, forming a vital data hub.

4M

Pages of archival data

Revolutionary Methods

Emphasis on narrative storytelling centered on individuals.
Social science integration with theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence.
Rigorous scientific approach using diverse analytical tools.

CROSS

Interdisciplinary Application

Examples like explaining agricultural collectivization through the state's need for grain for industrialization, or analyzing the Great Leap Forward steel-making campaign through an engineering lens, underscore the necessity of interdisciplinary knowledge.

Incorporating fields like agronomy, engineering, data analysis, GIS, and epidemiology is crucial to grasp historical complexities and advance "New Party History."

Interdisciplinary Flow Diagram

The Social Scientification of History

Exploring Professor Cao's argument that history, particularly "New Party History," is increasingly becoming a social science.

SCIENCE

Narrative Digest: Evolution of History

Professor Cao argues that history is evolving beyond a purely narrative discipline into a comprehensive social science. This "social scientification" involves two key aspects:

Adopting social science theories as analytical frameworks.
Integrating technical methods developed in social and even natural sciences.

He stresses the need for methodological diversification, believing that incorporating natural science methods is essential for Chinese academia to rival and potentially surpass Western scholars.

Theoretical Frameworks

Using social science theories, from broad concepts to specific mid-level theories, to provide new perspectives on historical data. Emphasizes applicability over fixed truths.

Theory Application Model

Technical Integration

Incorporating technical methods from social sciences and natural sciences. This opens vast new avenues for "New Party History" research.

SCI

Scientific Integration

Key Takeaways

"New Party History" as Core

Proposed as the core and axis of "National History" (PRC History), focusing on the CCP's major policies and movements post-1949.

Interdisciplinary Approaches

Effective historical research increasingly requires drawing on fields like agronomy, engineering, and data analysis.

"Social Scientification"

Involves adopting social science theories and integrating diverse technical methods, often from natural sciences.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Archive

Established a significant archive of 40,000+ volumes from Chinese county archives, a vital resource for contemporary historical research.

40K+

Archival Volumes