The Great Leap Forward

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The Great Leap Forward 1. As you study this subject, keep focusing on these issues: • Whether the GLF helped the establishment of the Communist state. Did it hinder it? • Did this help the transition to socialism? How? • What do you learn about successes and failures in social and economic developments? • What about the role of Mao, of the CCP, of other leaders? 2. As you read about this topic, remember that, as an absolute ruler, few people dared to question him – even when they knew he was wrong. Remember how opponents could be labeled ‘Rightists’ and their lives ruined. So, when he made errors there was nobody to stop him. 3. There are 2 main aspects to the GLF: the industrial aspect and the agricultural aspect. We will look at the industrial aspect first. Aim of the GLF: to revolutionize industry and agriculture so that the PRC could develop an economy, which would catch up, then overtake, other nations. (“Catch up with Britain in 15 years”). • Mao believed that industry not agriculture was the key to success. He believed that the efforts of the masses led by the CCP could overcome any problems. ”First and foremost, things are determined by people’s hearts and minds.” (An example of his belief that the will of people could change the course of history). • A ‘leap’ because China would bypass stages that other countries had gone through, moving from rural and agricultural to urban and industrial in one stage. • This was a move away from the Soviet model, and dependence of the Soviet Union (USSR) – new policy of self-reliance. Fenby sees this as a move from a rational model to an irrational model. Reform of Industry Mao wanted to use China’s huge population to: 1. Produce a food surplus to be sold abroad. This would finance China’s industry 2. By sheer effort, with their own hands, workers would create and economy to compete with the
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