1958

Great Leap Forward
Mao Zedong

My main objective was to bring China into the forefront of economic prosperity. I wanted China to become one of the world’s leading industrial powers. It would start with the construction of steel plants across the country and become a larger producer then Britain and the United States. My dream of my revolution is to help the peasants of our country; they would reap the benefits of our economic growth. Having become disenchanted with the Soviet-style development strategy I believed mobilization would allow us to develop both our industry and agriculture. A task that was supposed to be accomplished in fifteen years I had to squeeze into one year. This meant an average of eighteen percent increase of coal, electricity and steel production in one year, 1958. At one point there were 600,000 factories throughout China where unstable metal was produced. China was reformed into many communes were formed due to modernization. Some communes even contained up to 5000 families. People gave up their own belongings including animals and their ownership of tools. Almost no one worked for themselves. The commune controlled the life of an individual. They were centers for economic and technical progress. However, things started to go wrong. Farm machines that were quickly produced

began to fall apart. Thousands of workers were injured after the long hours at their jobs, and building made out of cheap steel did not last long. I attempted reforms to counter the challenges the communes faed but these changes proved to be too difficult and were never achieved. Mother nature further aggravated with our problems In 1959, floods hit some areas of China, while in other areas drought was a problem. Over nine million people starved to death in 1960 alone, we were desperate to ease the suffering. I decided the government should start rationing but it did very little. By 1962, 20 million people died of starvation and other miserable diseases. I will admit, I made one of the biggest mistakes that nearly destroyed China. It was not a leap forward but a huge step backwards. I think myself and the communist party needs to look at our performance.

"The chaos caused was on a grand scale, and I take responsibility. Comrades, you must all analyze your own responsibility. You will feel much better for it."

This plan was ultimately deemed a failure, and was abandoned in 1960.