The implementation of Mao’s policies, The Great Leap Forward & The Cultural Revolution, was a
dismal failure. Do you agree with this statement? Use relevant evidence from 1958-69 to support
your line of argument.
Yes, the implementation of Mao Zedong’s policies, the Great Leap Forward (1958-62) and the
Cultural Revolution (1966-69) were both catastrophic events. For example, Mao’s disastrous
Great Leap Forward led to a serious famine which caused the death of millions of and ruined
the economy. Similarly, Mao’s devastating Cultural Revolution crippled the economy, destroyed
millions of lives and thrust China into turmoil. In this essay ways will be critically discussed to
show how Mao’s policies were overly ambitious which proved to be an indisputable disaster.
In 1949 the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) came to power, under the leadership of Mao
Zedong. He formed the People’s Republic of China, after decades of fighting a civil war against
the Kuomintang (KMT). Mao inherited many problems including an economy that needed to be
industrialised and a poor, illiterate population. Mao attempted to transform China, by introducing
his first five-year plan in 1953, which successfully boosted heavy industry. However, despite the
economy growing and agricultural production increasing, Mao was unhappy with the speed of
growth so in 1958 he launched his Second Five Year Plan under his ironic slogan “the Great
Leap Forward’.
The Great Leap Forward (Second Five Year Plan) was Mao’s attempt to rapidly change China
from an agrarian society to a modern, industrial nation. Mao was determined to turn China into
a world superpower and he even fantasised about "overtaking Britain and catching up with
America”. Mao orchestrated that millions of Chinese people were moved onto gigantic “People’s
communes”, where everything was collectivised, either to work on farms or in manufacturing, to
intensify production. Peasants were required to not only farm but also to set up backyard
industries to manufacture steel goods. These peasants were forced to work too hard.
Production slumped, inferior goods were produced and industries collapsed. Mao’s ‘communes’
proved to be a catastrophic failure as they were too large to work effectively and an agricultural
disaster was looming.
Mao’s Great Leap Forward led to the worst famine in human history. Peasants resented that
their private property was collectivised and preferred to focus on producing steel. So there were
NOT enough hands to harvest the crops, which were left to rot. Commune leaders exaggerated
their harvests, hoping to gain favour with the Communist leadership. However, this plan
backfired leaving the peasants starving to death. Mao’s poor farming strategies &
mismanagement by officials were to blame for the deaths of 20 million peasants and the
devastation in the countryside.
dismal failure. Do you agree with this statement? Use relevant evidence from 1958-69 to support
your line of argument.
Yes, the implementation of Mao Zedong’s policies, the Great Leap Forward (1958-62) and the
Cultural Revolution (1966-69) were both catastrophic events. For example, Mao’s disastrous
Great Leap Forward led to a serious famine which caused the death of millions of and ruined
the economy. Similarly, Mao’s devastating Cultural Revolution crippled the economy, destroyed
millions of lives and thrust China into turmoil. In this essay ways will be critically discussed to
show how Mao’s policies were overly ambitious which proved to be an indisputable disaster.
In 1949 the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) came to power, under the leadership of Mao
Zedong. He formed the People’s Republic of China, after decades of fighting a civil war against
the Kuomintang (KMT). Mao inherited many problems including an economy that needed to be
industrialised and a poor, illiterate population. Mao attempted to transform China, by introducing
his first five-year plan in 1953, which successfully boosted heavy industry. However, despite the
economy growing and agricultural production increasing, Mao was unhappy with the speed of
growth so in 1958 he launched his Second Five Year Plan under his ironic slogan “the Great
Leap Forward’.
The Great Leap Forward (Second Five Year Plan) was Mao’s attempt to rapidly change China
from an agrarian society to a modern, industrial nation. Mao was determined to turn China into
a world superpower and he even fantasised about "overtaking Britain and catching up with
America”. Mao orchestrated that millions of Chinese people were moved onto gigantic “People’s
communes”, where everything was collectivised, either to work on farms or in manufacturing, to
intensify production. Peasants were required to not only farm but also to set up backyard
industries to manufacture steel goods. These peasants were forced to work too hard.
Production slumped, inferior goods were produced and industries collapsed. Mao’s ‘communes’
proved to be a catastrophic failure as they were too large to work effectively and an agricultural
disaster was looming.
Mao’s Great Leap Forward led to the worst famine in human history. Peasants resented that
their private property was collectivised and preferred to focus on producing steel. So there were
NOT enough hands to harvest the crops, which were left to rot. Commune leaders exaggerated
their harvests, hoping to gain favour with the Communist leadership. However, this plan
backfired leaving the peasants starving to death. Mao’s poor farming strategies &
mismanagement by officials were to blame for the deaths of 20 million peasants and the
devastation in the countryside.
