Theme 2: Agriculture and Industry - 1949-65 Flashcards
Why did Mao want to prioritise agriculture and the economy in 1949?
- international prestige
- have condtions to industrialise
- mass participate and mass mobilisation
- needs to prove themselves
- needs to make sure nobody invades them again
- wants to rid the western powers taking advantage
Why did Mao demand an increase in pace towards full collectivisation and an end to all private property?
argued that collectivisation was a key step in advancing the revolutionary process towards the creation of a socialist society
—>support from enthusiastic officials helped enforce collectivisation and allowed mao to override the concerns of the gradualists
Mao - “without socialist agriculture, there can be no complete consolidated socialsm”
What were the key aims of the communes?
- increasing industry
- increasing food production
- make society more communist
- improves lives of chinese women
- enhance control of the communist party
Why was the First Five-Year plan (1952-56) launched?
- defensive means - china did not have its own war industry
- stop exploitation of china from foreign countires
- self sufficiency - as china had a lack of trading oppurtunites
- industrialisation was key to becoming an independent and respected nation (to catch up with the west)
- ideology - industry is the only real foundation for a socialist society
Why did Mao launch the Great Leap Forward (1958-62)?
- wanted to transform china into a great economic power
- wanted china to be leading communist nation in Asia
- he was optimistic as it appeared that the communists were winning the cold war
- industrial production had risen by 18.3% and this convinced Mao that large agricultural improvements could be made
- Mao believed the sheer will of the people would be enough to overcome all technological obstacles
- Mao wanted to achieve ‘Walking on two legs’
What was ‘walking on two legs’?
increasing both agricultural and industrial production at the same time
What was the Four Pests campaign - 1957?
- dedicated to ridding china of sparrows, rats, flies and mosquitos
- crops rotted unattended as farmers were hunting vermin (as there was a reward)
- crops eaten by caterpillars who weren’t eaten by birds
What were the causes of the Great Famine?
- actions of the cadres
- four pests campaign
- grain requisitioning
- inexperienced farmers
- lysenko’s policies
- backyard furnaces
What was the role of the party cadres during the Great Leap Forward?
party cadres would distribute food out and had control over life and death of some peasants. some would be left starving because the cadres would abuse their power
What was the role of loan repayments to the USSR in the Great Leap Forward?
repayments to the USSR for industrial goods that were loaned to them were payed in the form of agricultural produce, and Mao wanted to speed up repayments, which left many peasants starving. as production figures had already been lied about there was not much food left for the peasants themselves
What was Mao’s attitude to the suffrage of the peasants?
Mao was completely aware of the suffrage of the peasnats, but he saw it as a good thing as he thought he should let the countryside peasants suffer so that the urban memebrs could prosper
Why were peasants only allowed to travel with a permit from cadres?
peasants were not allowed to leave the countryside because they would be sent back
Did Mao accept responsibility for the famine?
Mao accepted some responsibility and withdrew from politics. however he remained the chairman of the party
Why were China’s issues covered up?
All of China’s issues were covered up because people wanted to please Mao and did not want to be punished - the fear and presence of Mao caused China to try and hide its issues, which made them worse
