History 12

Rachel McMillan
UNIT SEVEN
The Great Leap Forward Chinas Second Five Year Plan

What conditions would have to be met in order for an economic plan like the Great Leap
Forward to be considered a success?
In order for the Great Leap Forward to be considered a success, the Second Five Year Plan must
have enhanced the Chinese economy by improving industrial and agricultural production. Furthermore,
the Great Leap Forward must have accelerated Chinas transition to complete communism, and bettered
the quality of life of Chinese citizens.
Create a T-Chart that outlines evidence supporting whether the Great Leap Forward was a
success or a failure. Include as many arguments as possible on each side of the debate.
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD
WAS A SUCCESS

o
o

o
o
o
o
o
o

farming communes and the Little Steel

Program promoted communal activity
communes theoretically provided all that
was necessary for citizens to live and
work comfortably, including schools,
hospitals and nurseries
communes encouraged hard work
portrayed the Chinese as motivated and
inventive
publicized Chinas intent to modernize
and industrialize
planning became decentralized
allowed for Mao to learn and improve for
the future
resulted in the return to village farming,
which was much more effective and
efficient

THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD

WAS A FAILURE

o
o

o
o
o
o
o

targets and quotas of industrial production

were continually reset as they were not
based in economic analysis
backyard furnaces used so much coal that
Chinas rail system suffered
factories were poorly run due to a lack of
technical and managerial skills among
workers
there was a lack of cohesive planning
caused the greatest famine in Chinese
history
private farming and industry was
disallowed
there was opposition to agricultural laws,
resulting in the erection of prison camps
the quantity of certain products outweighed
its quality, which would be detrimental as
the product was put to use later on (ex:
steel, farm machinery)
farming communes failed colossally
too large
competition between communes led
to false production reports