Lu Fangliang
Lù Fāngliáng | |
---|---|
陆方良 | |
File:Lu Fagliang.jpg | |
4th First Minister of Auspicious Republic of Xiaodong | |
In office 31st November 1967 – 20th April 1972 | |
President | Li Dejiang |
Preceded by | Li Zhaozheng |
Succeeded by | Sun Yuting |
Chairwomen of the Xiaodong Regeneration Society | |
In office 31st November 1967 – 20th April 1972 | |
Preceded by | Li Zhaozheng |
Succeeded by | Sun Yuting |
Presiding Officer of the State Presidium | |
In office 7nd March 1956 – 31st November 1967 | |
Prime Minister | Li Zhaozheng |
Preceded by | Chen Xuechang |
Succeeded by | Chen Tiecheng |
Spouse of the First Minister of Xiaodong | |
In office 24th August 1954 – 31st November 1967 | |
Prime Minister | Li Zhaozheng |
Preceded by | Liu Ran |
Succeeded by | Post vacant Cai Qichun in 1972 |
Personal details | |
Born | File:Flag of Xiaodong (1876-1951).png Rongzhuo, Langang Prefecture Xiaodong | May 14, 1917
Died | May 24, 1998 Baiqiao, Huayuan Prefecture, Xiaodong | (aged 81)
Nationality | Xiaodongese |
Political party | File:孝共和黨.png Xiaodong Regeneration Society |
Spouse | Li Zhaozheng |
Relations | Lu Keqian (father) Tao Guangmei (mother) |
Children | Lu Yanling |
Lu Fangliang (Xiaodongese: 陆方良; Lù Fāngliáng) was a Xiaodongese politician who served as the First Minister of Xiaodong from 1967 up until her ousting in 1972. She also served as Presiding Officer of the State Presidium from 1956-1967 and was the spouse of the First Minister, Li Zhaozheng from their marriage in 1950 to his death in 1967. She was the daughter of Lu Keqian and alongside her brother Lu Dejiang served as the head of the Lu dynasty, a political family in Xiaodong that during her rule reached the height of its power.
Born in 1917 and educated at Rongzhuo University (one of the first women to hold the distinction), Lu was first involved in politics as part of her fathers inner circle following the Corrective Revolution, being one of his unofficial advisers. Becoming a member of the State Presidium in 1944 in 1950 she married then-Defence Minister Li Zhaozheng and started to build a political career of her own, with Li in 1956 as First Minister appointing her as Presiding Officer of the State Presidium. During the mid 1960's as Li's health started to fail him Lu alongside her brother Lu Dejiang and Interior Minister Hu Boda took over the apparatus of the government and then the Xiaodong Regeneration Society. Li designated her as his successor in 1966 meaning following his death in 1967 she became First Minister.
Upon becoming First Minister Lu largely continued the policies of Li and the "right" faction of the Regeneration Society - import-substitution industrialisation, foreign policy structured around the Three Fundamentals and harsh repression domestically. As First Minister she presided over the gradual decline of the Xiaodongese economy which by 1970 was suffering from stagflation resulting in social unrest which requiered more repression. Lu was especially disdainful of the Duljunese whom she frequently referred to as rats and launched an active campaign of ethnic cleansing against them.
Lu had very poor relations with the military-industrial complex in Xiaodong, especially the Director of the Shujichu Sun Yuting. As the economy worsened the kleptocratic nature of the Lu government was frequently criticised. In 1972 she was forced to step down during a "soft coup" being succeeded by Sun Yuting who expelled her from the Regeneration Society. Lu kept a low profile under the 1980's when sh became a firm critic of the governments of Qian Xingwen and Yang Zhengming. She died of breast cancer in 1998. After her death, a series of financial scandals broke regarding Lu in relation to "black gold", with its estimated 5,200 million ($49.35 million) believed to have been embezzled over Lu's career. Lu's daughter Lu Yanling remains active in Xiaodongese politics. Template:First Ministers of Xiaodong Template:Xiaodong Regeneration Society