Transition to Socialism 1952-62 11.Social Development

Question 1

What did the CCP do to impact public health?

Answer 1

• The CCP approach was more preventative than curative, so the patriotic health campaign began to better sanitation and to reduce disease like cholera.
• In the cities vaccinations were given and improvements were made to drinking water by deep wells being built, human waste was used as fertiliser in country.
• In the country the 4 Noes targeted pests that would eat crops, sparrows were killed and often fell from the sky from exhaustion, led to a rat infestation was the food cycle was disrupted.
• Success in cities as death rate dropped but countryside it increased, only 1.3% of state expenditure was on health, 42% was on the PLA

Question 2

What did the CCP do to progress women’s lives?

Answer 2

• Mao said ‘Women hold up half the sky’
• 1950 marriage law banned concubines, divorce was equal and equal rights were given, infanticide banned, minimum age for marriage raised to 18.
• 1953 electoral law gave women equal voting law and began introducing more into politics – Shi Laing was the first minister of justice in China.

Question 3

What Impact did famine have between 1952-62?

Answer 3

• Hygiene levels dropped in rural areas and desperate families sold children
• Crime rates increased from granaries and freight trains, prostitution, infanticide especially girls and cannibalism increased.
• In 1962 5,000 people a day were crossing into Hong Kong.