before mao came

Question 1

Farming

Answer 1

• Many peasants were on military service and were away from their villages
• Small units of land
• No farm, machinery, no fertilisers
• Old-fashioned, primitive methods of farming by hand

Question 2

Industry

Answer 2

• Years of foreign and civil wars had caused widespread damage to Chinese industry
• Lack of investment
• Outdated machines
• Damage to transport systems: roads, rails, bridges

Question 3

The inequality gap between rich and poor

Answer 3

In the countryside, most of the land was owned by a few rich landowners
The ordinary people lived in great poverty, poor housing, working long hours, often in dangerous conditions, for low pay, poor health, little education
In the cities, factories and businesses were owned by an elite rich