Great Leap Forward Essay

“The first years of the People’s Republic of China under the CCP Rule 1949-1962”
Question 1:
“The changes the CCP initiated in the period 1949 to 1958 were of benefit to the peasants and to
China”
Between 1949 and 1958, Chairman Mao Zedong implemented large scale changes to
China in hopes of rapidly transforming the country from an agrarian economy into a modern communist society. Inevitably, the changes that Mao implemented in this period of time had a significant impact on both China and the peasants. This essay will firstly analyze the social impact of the changes on China and the peasants, secondly the economic and political impact of the changes on China, and thirdly the impact of these changes on the peasants in China.This essay will argue that while the changes the CCP initiated in the period 1949 to 1958 were of benefit to China, these changes were mostly unfavorable to the peasants.
Both China and the peasants benefitted from social changes initiated by the CCP. Firstly, irrational practices which were commonplace - such as foot binding and prostitution- were made illegal by the CCP; along with “bandits, gangsters, drug dealers, pimps and prostitutes” being
“reduced in numbers”1. Also, the Marriage Reform Law was passed in 1950, banning forced marriages, and enabling women to initiate divorces, signaling the end of women 's’ oppression, which had a large impact on society.2 The social changes by the CCP promoted equal rights for everyone in the society, and also restored order, unity and stability in the country3 , which undoubtedly bettered the social situation in China both in the short-term and in the long-term. Therefore, it is evident that from a social context, the changes initiated by Mao benefitted both China and the peasants. The changes initiated by the CCP in the first Five Year Plan benefitted China economically through heavy industry and developing agriculture, while also bringing political success to the CCP.
The changes caused the industrial output to significantly increase throughout the first FYP, as evidenced by the fact that “by 1957 coal production had doubled and four times as much steel was

1

Stewart, Geoff (2010) pg. 99

2The

large impact of this change on society can be evidenced by the fact that “a rash of divorces follow[ed] the 1950
Marriage Law”.
Sidel, Ruth. “Women and Child Care in China - A Firsthand Report”, 1972, Print
3

Stewart, Geoff (2010) pg. 99

being produced as in 1952”4 . Additionally, China’s backward agriculture5 was revolutionized, with mutual aid teams formed as part of Mao’s plan to transform the basis China’s economy from
Capitalism to Socialism (Source One). Evidently shown in Source Three, annual agricultural (grain) production increased significantly from approximately 140 million tons in 1952, to 180 million tons in 1957, demonstrating how Collectivization in the first FYP succeeded in bringing agriculture forward. Since industry and agriculture are both major sources of economic income and growth, the increase in industry and agriculture in China from 1949 to 1958 strongly suggest that the changes that Mao implemented benefitted China economically. Overall, the changes Mao implemented between 1949 and 1957 benefitted the industrial development of China, which was an important political factor 6 at the time, as it resulted in rapid modernization. Consequently, China’s overall development as a country was escalated, which improved relations with other countries as well as allowing China to compete with the likes of the US and the UK as a world economic superpower7.
However, the changes that Mao initiated, and the goal to bring China forward unconditionally8 using the Great Leap Forward, caused suffering for the peasants in China. The peasants did not receive the promised land ownership, and were forced to work in communes.
Although the total agricultural output increased in the first year of the GLF (Source Three), the account in Source Two indicates that the increased agricultural output was a result of incredibly brutal methods9 to forcing peasants to increase production by ridiculous amounts at the beginning of the GLF (1958). Source Two demonstrates how the demand for increased agricultural production caused suffering among peasants, illustrating that the changes initiated by Mao were not beneficial to the peasants. Furthermore, while the CCP demanded unreasonable amounts of production output from peasants, they were given minimal food10. While Agrarian Land Reform did yield positive results from a statistical standpoint, it is clear that the welfare of the peasants was neglected for the overall industrial and agricultural development of the country, and that the majority of the peasants were living under extremely harsh conditions.

4

Williams, Simon (1985)

5

Agriculture output had dropped drastically (Macdonald, 28)

6

The Chinese government wanted to change China from a backward peasant society into a great modern industrial country (Hsu, 648) )
7

China clearly intended to develop as a modern industrial state (Stewart, 98)

8

Mao stated “On this matter we are quite heartless. Marxism is indeed cruel and has little mercy... Our aim is to exterminate capitalism, obliterate it from the face of the earth and make it a thing of the past” (Lynch, 24)
9

“The unfortunate man would be beaten...Sometimes the man died hanging there because he refused to increase the figure” (Source Two)
10

In one revealing statement [Mao] urged his officials: “Educate peasants to eat less, and have more thin gruel. The state should try its hardest to prevent peasants eating too much (Lynch, 26)

In conclusion, while the changes initiated by Mao and the CCP in the period 1949 to 1958 benefitted China, these changes caused discomfort and suffering to the peasants in China. In the first Five Year Plan, the focus on heavy industry developing agriculture aided China’s development from a backward country into a modernized one, signifying political success for Mao. That being said, the rapid development that China went through and the benefits that the changes brought came at a cost- inevitably, the welfare of the peasants. Although the peasants benefitted from social changes, as well as seeing the overall living conditions in the country improve and modernize, the changes initiated by Mao between 1949 and 1958 were mainly of benefit to China, but not to the peasants. (796 words)

Bibliography
Michael J. Lynch. "The Early Years of the PRC 1949-57." The People 's Republic of China 1949-76.
London: Hodder Murray, 2007. Print
Stewart, Geoff. China 1900-76 (Heinemann Advanced History). Essex: Heinemann, 2010. Print.
Ward, Harriet. China in the 20th Century. Oxford: Heinemann Educational, 1990. Print.
Williams, Simon. China since 1949. London: Macmillan Education, 1985. Print.
Ross, Stewart. China since 1945. New York: Bookwright, 1989. Print.
Macdonald, C.K. Modern China. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1992. Print.
Hsü, Immanuel C. Y. The Rise of Modern China. New York: Oxford UP, 1970. Print.

Bibliography: Michael J. Lynch. "The Early Years of the PRC 1949-57." The People 's Republic of China 1949-76. London: Hodder Murray, 2007. Print Stewart, Geoff. China 1900-76 (Heinemann Advanced History). Essex: Heinemann, 2010. Print. Ward, Harriet. China in the 20th Century. Oxford: Heinemann Educational, 1990. Print. Williams, Simon. China since 1949. London: Macmillan Education, 1985. Print. Ross, Stewart. China since 1945. New York: Bookwright, 1989. Print. Macdonald, C.K. Modern China. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1992. Print. Hsü, Immanuel C. Y. The Rise of Modern China. New York: Oxford UP, 1970. Print.