Agriculture and Industry - The Communes

Question 1

How did Mao build communism in the countryside?

Answer 1

• Establishment of Communes in rural areas
• Mao said that “Without Socialisation of agriculture, there can be no complete, consolidated socialism.”

Question 2

Why did Mao establish the communes?

Answer 2

• Disappointing agricultural output figures from co-operatives, only risen 3.8% previous year
• 70% CCP from rural backgrounds, harsh requisitioning from peasants risked alienating support
• APC and MAT showed peasants had support for full communism
• Wanted to achieve ‘Walking on two legs’

Question 3

What was the first commune?

Answer 3

• ‘Sputnik commune’ established in Henan Province July 1958
• end of the year 740,000 co operatives reorganised into 26,000 communes
• party claimed 99% peasants population in communes

Question 4

What were the features of the communes?

Answer 4

• Around 5500 households
• Organised healthcare, education, and agricultural and industrial output
• Abolished private markets and land
• Communes would be self-reliant and there would be efficient pooling of resources

Question 5

How did Mao invision the communes?

Answer 5

• Perfect communist society
• Communal canteens would develop revolutionary fervour
• Liberalisation of women - ‘iron women’
• Creches and boarding schools provided
• grandparents - ‘happiness homes’

Question 6

What were the communes really like?

Answer 6

• Family life was destroyed
• Poor quality food
• Women were forced to carry out harsh physical labour
• Production didn’t rise
• all able bodied citizens between 15 and 50 served in the commune militia

Question 7

What was the four pests campaign?

Answer 7

• 1958, campaign dedicated to ridding China of sparrows, rats, flies and mosqitos, which ate grain
• peasants banged drums or pounded pots and pans to scare sparrows from landing, convinced that they would die of exhaustion
• Villagers focused on sparrows rather then crops, which died
• ‘Sparrowcide’ increased caterpillars and other insects which ruined the harvest

Question 8

What was Lysenkoism?

Answer 8

• Agricultural theories developed by Lysenko
• Theories were fraudulent, Lysenko distorted research to gain influence in Soviet Union
• Led to a drop in agricultural production
• Cadres would falsify figures leading to more ambitious quotas

Question 9

Conclusion of communes

Answer 9

• Were the start of the Great Leap Forward
• Would collapse during the Great Famine
• Disaster for social life as-well as industry and agriculture in rural areas