Topic 2 - Agricultural and Industrial Change - Culture and Industry Under Mao Flashcards
1
Q
Aims of the Second 5YP (5)
A
- Transform China into an economic power
- Prove to Khrushchev that China was a superior power than the USSR
- Enjoy a similar rise in agriculture as in industry before it
- Ensure that the East and Communism triumphed over the West and Capitalism
- Achieve China’s ability to ‘walk on two legs’ of agriculture and industrial output
2
Q
Industry during the second 5YP - What was the main target of the second 5YP and how was this facilitated?
A
- Steel was the main industry targeted during the GLF
- Millions of backyard furnaces created to increase the production of steel
3
Q
Industry during the second 5YP - What were the issues with the backyard furnaces? (2)
A
- However, these furnaces required a lot of fuel to operate and the steel they produced was completely useless
- People could see that this process wasn’t working but were too scared to say anything for fear of being denounced as a rightist
4
Q
Agriculture during the second 5YP - What was a key aspect of the GLF and what did this lead to?
A
- Crop production was another key aspect of the GLF
- Competing communes led to rapidly inflating crop numbers to impress party bosses
- The state began taking more grain based on these false figures which left the peasants with nothing to eat
- This directly led to a famine across China which resulted in an estimated 30 million deaths and lasted for three years
- Peasants had to survive on tree bark and dirt to eat
5
Q
The role of state-owned communes - What did these represent and lead to?
A
- The development of state-owned communes was another key aspect of the GLF
- Represented the end of family life as children were dropped off in communal nurseries and their parents worked in the field all day
6
Q
The role of state-owned communes - What were communes tasked with?
A
- Communes were tasked with supplying steel and grain to party officials
- Competing communes led to rapidly inflated figures with regard to crop production as numbers were inflated to satisfy party bosses
- This led to the state taking more grain than the communes had which left the peasants with nothing to eat which led to the famine that killed 30 million people
7
Q
Successes of the second 5YP (5)
A
- Very few successes
- Irrigation helped agricultural land become more fertile
- Construction projects led to a new age for Chinese cities
- General modernisation of buildings and landmarks such as Tiananmen Square
- Communes led to a more socialist society which was good for the CCP
8
Q
Failures of the second 5YP (6)
A
- Targets hugely overrated
- Party members knew that the best way to further their careers was to impress Mao – became a bunch of yes men validating his every word
- Competition in all departments of gov led to communes and departmental sectors promising hugely exaggerated targets – ultimately led to massive famine
-Mao lost all sense of reality, believing that mass mobilisation could overcome all obstacles – nobody dared challenge him and tell him the truth - Anti-rightist campaign led to the purging of intellectuals, meaning that there was nobody to offer advice or provide rational economic planning
- Backyard furnaces were set up in peasant areas to contribute to steel production – peasants used tools and equipment to keep the furnaces going – led to a breakdown in these areas – the steel was also shit
9
Q
The Lushan Conference - What was the Lushan Conference and what was going on at the time?
A
- The Lushan Conference was called by Mao in July 1959
- Mao was facing heavy criticism from within the CCP for the disastrous policies of the GLF
10
Q
The Lushan Conference - What was the stated purpose vs Mao’s use of the Lushan Conference
A
- The stated purpose of the Lushan Conference was to address these criticisms and chart a new course for the Communist Party
- However Mao used to conference as an opportunity to consolidate his own power and purge his political opponents
11
Q
The Lushan Conference - What was the outcome of the Conference?
A
- The conference resulted in the removal of several high-ranking officials from the Party and the gov such as Peng Dehuai
- This ultimately strengthened Mao’s grip on power and solidified his position as the undisputed leader of China
12
Q
The Lushan Conference - What did the Lushan Conference also do?
A
- However it also deepened the rifts within the CCP and set the stage for the more radical policies that would be implemented during the CR
- The Lushan Conference is often seen as the end of the more moderate policies of the CCP and the beginning of a more repressive and authoritarian regime
13
Q
Economic reform from 1962-65 under Deng and Liu - What did the economic reforms mark and what were they aimed at?
A
- Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms from 1962 to 1965 marked a shift towards a more centralised planning model with greater emphasis on the role of state planning and state owned enterprises
- The reforms were aimed at increasing agricultural and industrial production to meet the growing demand for foods and services in China
14
Q
Economic reform from 1962-65 under Deng and Liu - What did Deng Xiaoping introduce, when, and what did this allow?
A
- Deng Xiaoping introduced the ‘responsibility system’ in 1962 which granted greater autonomy to individual farmers and work units in managing their own production and profits
- This system allowed farmers and work units to keep a portion of their surplus production and profits which incentivised them to increase production and efficiency
15
Q
Economic reform from 1962-65 under Deng and Liu - How did Deng develop rural industry?
A
- Deng sought to shift labour and capital from agriculture to industry in order to boost productivity and modernise the economy
- This was achieved through policies such as the establishment of rural enterprises and the encouragement of rural-urban migration
