The Great Leap Forward (GLF) was a nationwide initiative of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) led by Mao Zedong from 1958 to 1961, intended to modernize and transform China from a traditional agrarian economy into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. The GLF had far-reaching effects on the infrastructure, economy, and population of China. It was responsible for some economic growth and yielded lesser-known technological innovations but had mixed and ultimately damaging effects.
The initiative began in an effort to develop industry, increase agricultural production, eliminate poverty, and achieve “total mobilization” for modernization and socialism. Mao believed that rapid industrialization was necessary for social stability, economic development, and national strength. He also thought that though such a goal could not be accomplished in one generation or even two, it could be achieved in three or five years. To this end, labor-intensive techniques and communization of industry, agriculture, and domestic life were put in place.
The industrial production of steel, coal, electricity, and chemicals was a major objective of the GLF. Initially, these industries grew at dramatic speeds. In 1958, steel production increased by 44%. However, due to the lack of experience in the management of large-scale enterprises, the outputs of steel and other industries fell substantially between 1960 and 1961. The efficacy of investment in these industries decreased as a result.
Industrialization was not the only goal of the GLF – agricultural production was also targeted. To increase productivity, private farming was replaced with collective agriculture. Each village was placed in a commune, with every aspect of farm production and distribution regulated by the government.
The initiative made some positive impacts. For instance, investments in irrigation systems, tractors, and fertilizers succeeded in raising rural incomes. Between 1958 and 1960, per capita grain output increased from 144 kilograms to 160 kilograms. This “miracle” was later reversed, however, when the food supply and nutritional status of the population became worse.
The GLF also had serious consequences in terms of human rights and social stability. Due to mass mobilization policies, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from their homes. This mass migration greatly strained the existing social structures, leading to political unrest and civil disorder.
The period of the GLF also saw a massive loss of life. In 1959, a drought caused harvests to fail and prompted a great famine, killing millions of people. The death toll directly attributable to the GLF is estimated to have been around 45 million.
The devastating implications of the Great Leap Forward are still felt today. The GLF has left a lasting legacy of environmental degradation, economic stagnation, political instability, and social strife in its wake. Moreover, it has damaged trust in the institutional capacity of the CCP and left an indelible mark of suffering on the nation.
In conclusion, the Great Leap Forward had a profound impact on China. Though some of its initiatives initially succeeded in increasing production, ultimately the GLF resulted in untold human suffering and economic devastation on a grand scale. Through its disastrous policies, the GLF caused irreparable damage to the nation, the repercussions of which are still felt today.