The Great Leap Forward
Storyboard Text
- Mao Zedong wanted to see growth in manufacturing and the industry. He wanted things to work quicker, better, and cheaper. He was suspicious of the models from the USSR, technology, so he came up with the idea of changing the economic policy. He had two goals set in mind,to create an industrialized economy like the West and to have (socialist) principles within work, production, and people’s lives.
- Mao Zedong thinking about creating a second five-year plan
- Things need to work better, quicker, and cheaper in the industry and in manufacturing.
- Mao told them that they should be different in socialism than the Soviet Union by letting poorer people work in economic modernization/making use of their labor. Rural collectivization would be in favor because farms would organize peasant labors, get rid of waste and inefficiency, and increase production. Poorer families were organized into cooperatives of around 20 to 40 households. The policy of collectivisation sparked debate within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with Zhou Enlai and Liu Shaogi, who were telling Mao to be careful with his plan.
- Mao announces his plans to the PCR at a meeting party in Nanjing
- I don't think this is a good idea Mao.
- This is such a great plan!
- I think you should rethink your plans before you go into action.
- Mao had the PRC turn China into a communist society
- Mao did this by having the Public Republicans of China put people into communes, which were economic owned organization that represented state power in rural areas. Communal living included childcare, nursing homes, and communal kitchens, leading to people being banned from cooking at home.
- I want to go back home...
- This is our new home!
- The people of China started working in industry and agriculture jobs. They would wake up early to go to work and would work all day making steel or working in the fields. Some would even work all day. Society accepted Mao's plans of hard labor and living conditions as they looked forward to the outcome in the future. Many people have never worked in this kind of labor before and would make unusable steel and mistakes.
- The people of China Working in Hard Labor
- I'm so tired...
- This will all be worth it in the future!
- I hope we made this steel correctly...
- Increasing Complications between Communes
- As the targets for industrial and agricultural output increased, the pressure on people’s communes, leaders, and administrators increased too. Some communes were referred to as ‘good news reporting stations’ while others were called ‘launching a sputnik’ (a reference to the Soviet Union’s recent launch of an artificial satellite into space). The communes, with Mao’s blessing, also experimented with farming techniques, which most changes were terrible. The peasants, who had long experience with growing crops, were upset with the new policies and a few were prepared to stand up to the government and local party cadres.
- Your commune is launching a sputnik!
- Your commune is close to becoming one as well!
- Consequences of the backyard furnaces increased deforestation and ruined the landscape in many regions. The ‘backyard furnaces’ policy was abandoned when it was unproductive. Steel produced by peasants was unusable, many were taken to large secret dumps, even though officials kept encouraging its production.
- Complications in the Work Force
- What's happening to our home?
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