The Great Leap Forward

• What was the state of China at the end of the civil war in 1949?


  China was largely agrarian with little domestic industry.
• Who was the communist leader of China after the civil war?

  Mao Zedong was the communist leader of China.
• What did Karl Marx think about China's suitability for a workers' revolution?


  Marx would have rejected China as a candidate for his workers' revolution.
• What were the transformative programs undertaken by Mao in China?


  • Land redistribution from wealthy landowners to peasants
  • Collectivization of land along Stalinist lines
  • Formation of agricultural cooperatives
  • Outlawing of cultural practices inconsistent with communism
• What cultural practices did Mao aim to abolish?


  Foot binding and child marriage were outlawed.
• What was the purpose of the anti-rightist campaign introduced in 1957?


  To stamp out dissent and opposition to the Communist Party.
• How many people were officially persecuted during the anti-rightist campaign?

  About 550,000 people were persecuted.
• What was the general takeaway by Mao and the Communist leadership regarding their reforms?


  They believed they were largely successful in their aims.
• How did Mao's confidence affect his approach to further reforms?


  It led him to overestimate his power to implement radical reforms quickly.
• What was Mao's goal regarding steel production in China?


  To overtake the United Kingdom in steel production within 15 years.
• What was the plan to mobilize the population for industrialization?


  To build roads and industrial facilities while expanding collectivization.
• What unrealistic target did Mao set for steel production in 1957?


  To double steel production from 5.35 million tons to 10.7 million tons.
• What was the purpose of organizing peasants into communes during the Great Leap Forward?


  To plan labor, eliminate waste, and increase production.
• How did the communes affect traditional family structures in China?


  They broke up family units and replaced them with communal living.
• What incentive system replaced wages in the communes?


  Work points were given for good work and behavior.
• How many communes were established by the end of 1958?

  26,000 communes were established.
• What was the impact of increasing urban workers on agricultural output?


  It made maintaining and increasing agricultural output more difficult.
• What was the problem with the backyard furnaces set up during the Great Leap Forward?


  They produced iron and steel that was mostly useless due to impurities.
• What environmental impact did the backyard furnaces have?


  They caused heavy air pollution and deforestation for firewood.
• What was the "smash the sparrows" campaign aimed at?


  To destroy sparrows considered detrimental to crop growth.
• What was the unintended consequence of the "smash the sparrows" campaign?


  It led to an increase in insect populations that destroyed crops.
• What was the outcome of the 1958 harvest despite favorable weather?


  Much of the harvest rotted in the fields due to lack of labor.
• How did government officials manipulate food collection figures?


  They exaggerated figures to appear successful to higher authorities.
• What was the result of the false reporting on food collection?

  It led to starvation as peasants received little to eat.
• What did Mao state about the famine during a 1959 Politburo meeting?


  He said it was better for half the people to die so the other half could eat.
• What was the outcome of the Lushan Conference in July 1959?


  It aimed to analyze the events of 1958 and propose corrections.
• Who criticized the Great Leap Forward during the Lushan Conference?


  Peng Dehuai criticized the Great Leap Forward and its resource waste.
• What was Mao's reaction to Peng Dehuai's criticisms?


  Mao perceived it as a personal attack and defended the Great Leap Forward.
• What happened to Peng Dehuai after his criticisms?


  He was fired and put under house arrest.
• What was the agricultural situation in China from 1959 to 1960?


  Harvests were plagued by drought and worsened the famine.
• What agricultural methods were promoted despite lacking scientific merit?

  Methods promoted included concentrated sowing of seeds and deep ploughing.
• What was Mao's stance on food shipments abroad during the famine?


  He insisted on continuing food shipments abroad to promote China's image.
• What was the outcome of the Great Leap Forward by 1962?


  It had largely ended as a program.
• How many people died as a result of the Great Leap Forward's policies?

  Between 50 million and 55 million people died.
• What was the impact of the Great Leap Forward on agriculture and livestock?


  Grain consumption dropped by 22% and pork consumption fell by 72%.
• How did the Chinese Communist Party view the Great Leap Forward after its failure?


  They acknowledged mistakes but still lauded the period for its revolutionary spirit.
• What were the ideological beliefs behind the Great Leap Forward?


  • Ideological fervor would be enough to grow the economy
  • Forced progress was seen as necessary for modernization
  • Revolutionary spirit was prioritized over practical economic strategies
• What were the long-term consequences of the Great Leap Forward?


  • Massive loss of life (50-55 million)
  • Environmental devastation
  • Ruined agricultural systems
  • Ideological lessons for future policies