The Great Leap Forward was a Chinese socialist economic and social campaign that was launched by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, in 1958. The main goals of the Great Leap Forward were to use China’s vast population to rapidly develop its industrial and agricultural production. Mao Zedong believed that greater production could be achieved through greater coordination and organization, as well as through collectivization of the peasantry. Despite ambitious goals and optimistic rhetoric from Mao, the Great Leap Forward proved to be a disaster, resulting in the greatest famine in China’s history.
The Great Leap Forward was announced in the spring of 1958, after the Third Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. During this session, Mao Zedong unveiled his plan for a rapid transformation of China’s economy. He claimed that China had already surpassed Britain in industrial production and set a goal of doubling steel production within a year through increased labor and resource efficiency. He also declared that China would soon surpass the world’s leading nations in all areas of production—industrial, military, and agricultural.
The implementation of the Great Leap Forward included the establishment of large communes in the countryside. Peasants were moved into communes and forced to work together in large teams. All private property was confiscated, and farmers were required to surrender their land, animals, and tools to the communes. Teams of workers were assigned to the communes to do intense labor, such as building dams and canals. Mao also promoted “backyard furnaces,” in which ordinary people were encouraged to make steel at home.
In addition, Mao ordered the collectivization of agriculture. In theory, collective farming would allow for improved efficiency, as farmers worked together in larger teams and cooperated on tasks such as planting and harvesting. However, in practice, many farmers were reluctant to give up their land, tools, and animals, and the collectivization process caused widespread disruption and confusion.
To maximize production, Mao ordered that the peasants focus primarily on producing grain and other food products. This policy had disastrous consequences; in many areas, farmers stopped growing vegetables and tended only to cereal crops. As a result, the Chinese diet became increasingly monotonous and unbalanced. Complicating matters further, government officials, who were responsible for setting quotas, often overestimated production targets, leading to hunger and malnutrition throughout the country.
The Great Leap Forward was an unparalleled disaster for the Chinese people. By 1960, official estimates suggest that around 30 million people had died as a result of famine and disease. The death toll may have been even higher. Although there are no accurate records available, it is clear that the Great Leap Forward was a tragic mistake, with devastating consequences for millions of Chinese citizens.