Polityka wobec Kościoła katolickiego w ChRL (1949-1978)

Religious policy during the Maoist period could be divided into the long-term policy, the aim of which is the decline of religion, and the short-term policy which is valid till the disappearance of religion. According to the Marxist theory, religion stems from the class struggle and is a tool for using masses, weakening their revolutionary enthusiasm, and a product of class society and social inequality. The oppressed people saw in religion the only hope for better life after death. The Chinese communists were of the opinion that after reaching the ideal of classless society, without exploiters and the oppressed, religion should naturally disappear because there will not be any demand for its compensation function. Till the moment of reaching this ideal, the short-term policy the aim of which is taking control over religion and using it for building the new China, shall still be effective. The pursuit of localizing religion, grounding the religious issues on socalled three autonomies, linking religion with patriotism and anti-imperialism as well as establishing state institutions controlling the religious practices, define the short-term religious policy of the Maoist period. This period is characterized both by the liberal and repressive approach (repressive especially during the Cultural Revolution) towards religion. It was the Deng Xiaoping's rule when the liberalization of the immediate religious policy together with maintaining its theoretical basis and long-term goals was initiated.