Topic 2 - Agricultural and Industrial Change - The First 5 Year Plan 1952-56

Question 1

The USSR’s financial and technical support - What was Mao’s first 5YP closely modelled on?

Answer 1

The first 5YP was closely modelled on Stalin’s plans for industry in the USSR – the Soviet model has successfully helped the USSR defeat Germany in WW2

Question 2

The USSR’s financial and technical support - Why was this decision made?

Answer 2

Practical as well as ideological decision – USSR was China’s only major ally and a grain embargo placed on China by the Western powers for China’s involvement in the Korean War meant that China had few trading partners and was forced to rely on economic help from the USSR

Question 3

The USSR’s financial and technical support - What did Mao think about this decision later?

Answer 3

Later, Mao bitterly regretted adopting the Soviet model without adapting it to Chinese circumstances

Question 4

The plan’s targets - What were the targets of the plans with China’s industry, self-sufficiency, and weapons production?

Answer 4

• Target of the plan was to quickly increase China’s heavy industry like coal and steel, constructing advanced industrial plants with modern machines
• Mao wanted China to be self-sufficient
• In particular, industrial plants could supply the PLA with the modern weapons needed to protect China from the aggression of the West

Question 5

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Coal

Answer 5

115% of coal production target achieved by 1957

Question 6

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Oil

Answer 6

72% of oil production target achieved by 1957

Question 7

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Steel

Answer 7

130% of steel production target achieved by 1957

Question 8

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Electric power

Answer 8

120% of electric power production target achieved by 1957

Question 9

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Locomotives

Answer 9

83% of locomotive production target achieved by 1957

Question 10

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Merchant ships

Answer 10

30% of merchant ships production target achieved by 1957

Question 11

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Bicycles

Answer 11

210% of bicycle production target achieved by 1957

Question 12

% of targets achieved in different sectors by 1957 - Trucks

Answer 12

187% of truck production target achieved by 1957

Question 13

Successes of the first 5 year plan (6)

Answer 13

• China experienced an annual growth rate of over 9%
• Most targets set by the plan were reached or easily surpassed
• Spectacular engineering works undertaken EG the massive bridge across the Yangtze river
• Living standards and job security both guaranteed
• Pop of towns and cities doubled to over 100 million
• CCP established greater control over the people and provided improved housing, health care, and education

Question 14

Failures of the first 5 year plan (3)

Answer 14

• In order to reach output targets, many factories sacrificed quality for quantity and officials other exaggerated levels of output
• Most Chinese workers had low levels of literacy and basic skills, which held back economic growth in the short and long term
• China’s administrators lacked organisational and managerial experience – this led to a lack of cooperation between industries and central planners, often causing bottle necks in production