the communes Flashcards
why did Mao want to collectivise communes
Mao was happy with speed of collectivisation and he wanted to maximise food production in order to accelerate industrial growth
so bigger collectives = larger pool of resources and equipment = higher food production and more labour to work on construction schemes
Mao also believed he had backing from cadres who stated that APC wanted to merge to get more resource’s. so brought it up to party and they agreed
also ideological as he wanted to continue impetus of revolution.
when and what policy introduced to move to communes
Great Leap forward 8th party congress 1958
What quote did Mao refer to the launching of GLF as and how was communes to be organised
“Walking on two legs”, co-operatives where to be expanded and labour force was to be mobilised on engineering schemes
production and grain given equal priority
who was did Mao say China was going to overtake as an economic power
Britain in 7 and a half years
what was first peoples commune implemented and called
1958 April, called Sputnik
27 collectives merged, over 9,000 households under its control.
what happened after 2 years of first commune being built
750,000 collectives merged in 26,000 communes
120 million households
once commune was set up impossible to move without passport
what was average size of commune
5,500 households
positives of communal living
villagers often stayed in the same house and worked with same people
communal identity increased
commune would have tractor station for brigades who couldn’t afford them
unit of government who provided education, health, policing and militia, child care and canteen’s freeing women
most advanced communes claimed to guarantee meals, clothing, housing, schooling, medical attention, burial, haircuts, entertainment, money for heating and weddings
positives of communal living
villagers often stayed in the same house and worked with same people
communal identity increased
commune would have tractor station for brigades who couldn’t afford them
unit of government who provided education, health, policing and militia, child care and canteen’s freeing women
most advanced communes claimed to guarantee meals, clothing, housing, schooling, medical attention, burial, haircuts, entertainment, money for heating and weddings
failures of communal living
most of suggested wasn’t true
children were abandoned in creches which were poorly managed
workers forced to work long hours to ensure targets were met
food and diet was poor
agricultural production didn’t improve ( Mao believed workers stole grain)
result of removal of landownership
material goods and personal possessions withered away
completely abolished party claimed 99% of peasants were in communes by 1958
private markets banned
commune had militia to control people to ensure no private trade or ownership ( everyone between 15 and 50 was part of militia)
what did Mao blame the lack of increase in food production on
vermin that at all grain
what did Mao launch what he thought would increase food production
the ‘Four Pest’ campaign ordered peasants to kill sparrows, rates, flies and mosquitoes. by banging pans to scare away sparrows, eventually killing them from exhaustion
problems with four pests campaigns
locusts ate harvest as birds ate inspects
who’s ideas did Mao adopt
Lysenkoism, this was debunked prior to use
