early changes in agriculture Flashcards
what were Mao’s main aims for agriculture
he needed to increase food supply if he was to industrialise
he knew he needed a policy which would increase supply and enhance popularity of communism (unlike Russia)
what two initial policies did Mao introduce
criticisms of landlordism
the agrarian reform law
how was landlordism attacked?
Mao presented landlords as feudal class enemies who sought to destroy communism
work teams within the CCP were sent to villagers to attack landlords in struggle meetings
therefore landlords, humiliated and forced to give up land in some extreme cases they were sentenced to death
when and what agricultural policy was introduced to systematically attack landlordism
The agrarian reform Law, 1950
What did the agrarian reform law state?
system of peasant land ownership shall be introduced
what was included in the agrarian reform law
legal protections for landlords stripped
land was forcibly taken and redistributed
the army played a crucial role by silencing those who may be hostile and helping organisation with local party officials
system worked by labelling peasants, if found guilty of being a landlord they were publicly humiliated and possessions were taken away and redistributed. victim was then beaten up and executed
what were the positive effects of the agrarian reform law
by 1952 43 % of land redistributed to 60% of the peasants
1950 to 1952 agricultural production rose 15% per years.
what were the negative effects of the agrarian reform law
violence increased
between 1 to 2 million landlords estimated to have died
