•Communism is designed to be a “permanent revolution”.

•For this reason, communists are always in a state of war.

•Communism is very strict and not very peaceful.

•Propaganda spread Mao’s messagethroughout China, brainwashing thepublic.

•Propaganda is the advertising of political points of view. Propagandais generally untrue.

•Both Russia and China used propaganda to make the United StatesAnd its economic system seem evil.

Great Leap Forward

Great Leap Forward, 1958-60

• In 1958, Mao decided that the Russian strategy of industrial development was not suitable for China.

• This urban, large-factory system was not having enough of an impact on the mass of the population in the countryside.

• Mao decided to opt for a unique Chinese method of industrialization.

Why The Great Leap Forward Program?WhyThe beginning

• Why was Mao ready for a change in economic policy by 1958?–Despite 5YP’s successes, Mao felt the time was ripe for the transition

from socialism to communism• Disliked the sprawling bureaucracy and increasing individualism• Feared an entrenched system, which would be more difficult to alter• Disheartened by disappointing grain yields

–Also hoped for “spontaneous energizing of the whole nation” as he was very concerned with the lack of revolutionary spirit in China

–Sino-Soviet relations were deteriorating, desired self-sufficiency • What is the significance of the phrase poor and blank?

–Despite China’s economic “backwardness” Mao felt this description of China’s peasantry was desirable-they were more eager for change

–Also more likely to become “red and expert”

Great Leap Forward (1958-1960)

• abandon the Soviet model of economic development– Soviet “scientific planning”

• mass mobilization• people’s communes

• Failure of Great Leap Forward led to criticism of Mao

• Soviet criticism, withdrawal of Soviet industrial aid widened rift between two Communist nations

• By early 1960s, relations had broken down completely; China virtually isolated in world community

China Virtually Isolated

• Plan was disaster; small commune factories failed to produce quantity, quality of goods China needed

• Combination of poor weather, farmers’ neglect led to sharp drops in agricultural production

• Famine spread through rural China; tens of millions starved to death between 1959 and 1961

Planning Disaster

The Great Leap Forward

THE GREAT LEAP FORWARDDuring this trip I have witnessed the tremendous energy of the masses. On this foundation it is possible to accomplish any task whatsoever.

- Mao

• Mao’s Goal: Making China an Industrial Powerhouse

• Second 5-Year Plan: The Great Leap Forward

Goal of Great Leap Forward: Permanent Revolution

• Constant process of ideologically inspired mass activism Producing “Great Leaps” Forward and “Cultural Revolution”

Ideology and Politics in Command

• Central planning abandoned

Economic Development

• Maoist Vision:• De-centralized System• Close gap between urban-rural

– Industrialize countryside– Xiafang: technicians, intellectuals, youth to the

countryside– commune

To create a Socialist Utopia: Dazhai Commune

• ORGANIZE POPULATION INTO PRODUCTION UNITS– TOTAL CARE -- HEALTH, – EDUCATION, WELFARE– INSPIRE WITH CONTUNOUS

IDEOLOGICAL WORK

When?

1958-1962

Why?

To bring another success to the PRC

  success in carrying out land reforms

success in other campaigns to attack the reactionaries

Great Leap Forward:2nd Five Year Plan

Mao believed the country should focus on industry and food. Mao made a five year plan and called it The Great Leap Forward

Great Leap Forward

• The Commune is Like a Mighty Dragon, Production is awe-inspiring

 

To achieve self-sufficient economy

disliked Soviet way of industrialization (putting heavy industry first)

China would not do with high-tech factories which depended on foreign capital and assistance

to show that the Chinese way of industrialization was better than the Soviet way or the capitalist way

To end diplomatic isolation

China was being isolated from other countries (capitalism) due to its practice of communism

To catch up Britain and US and to break off diplomatic isolation

To raise international status of China

To increase productivity

 

First Five Year plan completed earlier than expected

But... serious economic problems remained unchanged

unemployment (most peasants had little to do between harvesting and sowing)

• Propaganda was everywhere – including the fields workers could listen to political speeches as they worked

• Propaganda posters often use symbolism

• The dragon in this picture symbolizes steel production

• The bird symbolizes grain production

• How does this poster make you feel?

THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD - PROPAGANDA & ENTHUSIASM

• Propaganda a Key Element• Goal to Inspire Workers to Overachieve Goals• Impressive Construction Projects Completed

Look for positive images and symbols in this picture. List several and explain to the person next to you why you think they are in this picture.

Effects of the Great Leap Forward

Accomplishments of Maoist Era

• Technology and Technical expertise transferred to Countryside

• Infrastructure: education, electrification, roads, rural industry, health care

• Gap between urban-rural narrowed

THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD FAILURE

Coal and iron cannot walk by themselves. They need vehicles to transport them. This I did not foresee. I and the Premier did not concern ourselves with this point. You could say we were ignorant of it…I am a complete outsider when it comes to economic construction. I understand nothing about industrial planning. Comrades, in 1958 and 1959, the main responsibility was mine, and you should take me to task…The chaos caused was on a grand scale, and I take responsibility. Comrades, you must analyze your own responsibility…If you have to fart, fart! You will feel much better for it.

- Mao, 1959

Results of the Great Leap Forward

• 38 million died of:– Being worked to death– Others were killed, tortured, or imprisoned– Famine (the average daily calorie intake was 1,534.8 for

men and 1,200 for women – Aushwitz got between 1,300-1,700 calories per day)

• Heavy industry developed (although it was still behind most large industrial countries)

• Agriculture lagged behind

Results of the Great Leap Forward

• Agriculture failed because:– Unscientific agricultural methods were used– There was a shortage of agricultural labor

because of peasants working on industrial projects

– The peasants disliked losing their private lots– Natural disasters – droughts and floods– Peasants didn’t work hard because grain was

taken from them

Great Leap Forward Fails

• Ends in massive famine -- 3 lean years

• Struggle “Experts” vs. “Reds”

• Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution• Failure of Ideologically based Mass Campaigns

THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD FAILURE - THE FARMING CRISIS

• Failure in the Countryside and Towns

• Not Enough People Working in Farming

• Over-reporting of Grain Harvests

• Good Weather Turns to Bad…Famine Intensifies

• 20 Million Die Due to Famine & Malnutrition

PROBLEMS:

– POPULATION EXHAUSTED FROM POLTICAL CAMPAIGNS

– INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL STAGNATION

– Population triples (1.3 billion), 85% still in agriculture

The Great Leap Forward

• The Great Leap was made worse by ecological problems, and in 1959 and 1960, drought ravaged China.– Those that had embraced Mao’s reforms the

most suffered worse than others, and in some areas, cannibalism arose.

– OFFICIAL CHINESE REPORTS STATE THAT 14 MILLION PEOPLE STARVED.

• Actual figures may be much higher, in the 20-43 million range. All the while, officials hid the starvation and failures of steel production from Mao, but even when he found out, nothing was done because he could not admit that even nature had proven him wrong.

Intensified diplomatic isolation

PRC was isolated from the western countries. disliked Khrushchev and blamed him for revising Marxism-Leninism.

Khrushchev openly criticized the Great Leap Forward

the relationship between China & the Soviet Union began to deteriorate

Russian Response to Great Leap Forward

• The Russians were insulted that the Chinese were no longer following their advice and pulled out their engineers.

• Many factories that were being built could not be finished because the Russians had the only plans and because the Russians were to provide the machinery.

Russian Response

• The Russians were insulted that the Chinese were no longer following their advice and pulled out their engineers.

• Many factories that were being built could not be finished because the Russians had the only plans and because the Russians were to provide the machinery.

Sino-Soviet Dispute, 1960

• From 1960 onward, China and Russia had a great ideological quarrel.

• Mao asserted that the world was in a revolutionary situation.

• Mao expected revolution to come from the poor peasants of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Sino-Soviet Dispute

• The Soviet Union was led in 1960 by Nikita Khrushchev and he insisted on the need for “peaceful coexistence” with the West.

• Khrushchev was against promoting revolution in Third World countries as China wished to do.

Great Leap Forward was failurecould not bring increase in agricultural and industrial

production

The Great Failure

Paved the way for the Cultural Revolution

Aroused conflicting opinions among the Party leaders

Mao Zedong wanted to gain back his power and to remove the opposition within the Party

The Cultural Revolution

• As the late 1950s moved on, China and the USSR competed to be the dominant Communist country in the world. Combined with the failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao took a lesser role in China’s politics.– Some policies were relaxed, and Chinese farmers could

finally move back into their homes and work their own small farm plots.

– As his brand of Communism weakened, Mao felt that China had lost its revolutionary spark, and used the young adults of China to start his “Cultural Revolution.”

Results of the Great Leap Forward

• As a result of the failure on the Great Leap Forward, Mao retired from the post of chairman of the People's Republic of China

• His place as head of state was taken by Liu Shaoqi, but Mao remained important in determining overall policy

The Rise of the Moderates• “The 3 Bitter Years”

Caused by Mao

• Party Leaders Blame Mao for the Damage

The disaster was 70% manmade and 30% due to natural causes.

- Liu Shaoqi

• More Moderate Leaders Assume Power…Mao Loses Power. Enter Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, & Deng Xiaoping

The rise of the moderates

The Chinese referred to the years of the famine as the ‘three bitter years’

They put part of the blame on the great leap forward

Liu Shaoqi deputy leader of the party stated that :

‘The disaster was seventy per cent man made and thirty per cent natural causes

THE WANING OF MAO?• Mao’s Power Gone?

• Still Extremely Popular and the Face of the Revolution

• Mao Reaction to the Moderates…The Cultural Revolution

Peasants have dirty hands and cowshit-sodden feet, but they are much cleaner than intellectuals.

- Mao

He’s Baaaaaaack!

• In the early 1960s Mao became highly critical of the foreign policy of the Soviet Union. He was upset that:– Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin– Khrushchev was the head of the communist world– Khrushchev backed down over the Cuban Missile Crisis

Mao staged this media event – him swimming in the Yangze River – to indicate that he was still vigorous and capable to lead China