History - The First Five Year Plan

What was the primary aim of the Agrarian Reform Law introduced by the new communist government in China during the early 1950s?

To redistribute land from the old landowning class to the peasantry and remove inequalities in the villages.

What was the outcome for the landlord class as a result of the Agrarian Reform Law?

2–3 mil landlords executed - wiped out the landlord class in China.

During which years was the First Five Year Plan implemented in China?

1953 to 1957.

What were the two main aims of the First Five Year Plan?

collectivised agriculture and development of industry.

How did Mao's policy on rural collectivization differ from Stalin's?

voluntary approach and was able to persuade peasants, whereas Stalin used violent methods.

What is a Mutual Aid Team as established under the Agrarian Reform Law?

10 families who pooled their draught animals, tools, and labour.

What significant treaty did Mao negotiate in 1950 to aid China's industrialization efforts?

Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance with the Soviet Union.

What did Mao proclaim about private companies by the end of 1957?

they should be controlled by the state

By the end of which year did the urban economy become entirely under Party control?

1956.

What was a major success of the collectivisation policy by July 1955 in terms of household participation?

17 million households belonged to Agricultural Producers Cooperatives (APCs).

In terms of agricultural output, what was the grain production in million tonnes in 1957?

195.1

What was a significant failure of the First Five Year Plan regarding worker training?

Workers lacked skills and were not trained for industrial work.

What does the index of gross output value of agriculture show for 1962?

99.9

How did Mao view the relationship between material conditions and the success of a policy?

not decisive; only the will to succeed was necessary.

In the context of collectivization, what was the role of the central government?

control all aspects of agriculture, from farming methods to pricing of produce.

What were the approximate numbers of communes and brigades established by December 1956 as a result of collectivisation?

70,000 communes containing roughly 750,000 brigades.

when did Mao sign treaty of friendship, alliance and mutual assisstance

14th feb 1950

what did treaty of friendship alliance and mutual assistance allow

soviet loans - (5 year credit of 300 mil) and technical assistance to help with industrialisation'; 10,000 russian engineers sent to help chinese modernise rapidly

how did industry policies differ from soviet union

emphasised voluntary collectivisation and avoid immediate deconstruction of urban capitalist ideas

Mao initially allowed private businessmen to maintain profits under what speech

general line for the transition to socialism - 1953 - would take 15 yrs in cities, and 18 yrs in countryside

declared what in october 1955

our aim is to exterminate capitalism, to obliterate it off the face of the earth

proclaimed full state control of private companies by what year and on what date

6th dec 1955 - should be in control by 1957

private sector leaders were persuaded were coerced into joint state/ private ownership during what campaign

five antis - targeted fraud, tax evasion and other malpractices - nationalisation was their preferred route forward

coal in 1952 - planned 1957 and achieved 1957

63 mil tonnes - 113 mil tonnes - 124 mil tonnes

steel in 1952 - planned 1957 and achieved 1957

1.3 mil tonnes - 4.1 mil tonnes - 5.2 millions tonnes

urban economy was brought under full party control by what year

1956

what did workers experience

greater job security, improved incomes, and living standards

what delayed progress and what was there competition for

bureaucratic inefficiencies - scarce resources

what percentage of profits could private businessmen draw from their partnerships with the state

25

all companies and industries in Beijing were converted to joint state/private ownership when in Jan

first 12 days

pig iron in 1952 - planned 1957 and achieved 1957

1.9 mil tonnes - 4.7 mil tonnes - 5.8 mil tonnes

oil in 1952 - planned 1957 and achieved 1957

0.4 mil tonnes - 2 mil tonnes - 1.4 mil tonnes

cement in 1952 - planned 1957 and achieved 1957

2.6 mil tonnes - 6 mil tonnes - 4.6 mil tonnes

reasons for collectivization of agriculture

ideological reasons and a belief in the necessity of self-sufficiency (came from experience of peasant life in youth and reinforced by struggles before 1949) and economics

what did members of APCs do

remunerated according to amount of land labour they contributed

after taking what percent of each collective’s harvest as a tax the state allowed what

5-10% - unit to retain a meagre subsistence ration person and then purchased a share of the ‘surplus’ at prices set by the gov itself

product of 5 antis programme

inter-regional commerce redefined as ‘criminal speculation’ - extreme form of capitalist exploitation

after 6 months how many households belonged to APCs

75 mil - 67% of peasant population

how many households did each brigade contain

200

by dec 1956 what percentage of peasants still farmed as idnividuals

3

what did mao how have opportunities to do

weaken powerful colleagues and drive a policy intimately linked to himself - whole agricultural system was in control of central gov

what was dictated from beijing

farming methods, distribution of produce and setting of prices

collectivization sapped energies of countryside for a generation to come causing what

levelling down of rural society which prevented independent initiative, demotivated the most productive, rewarded the most capable and replaced the rule of landlords with the rule by the party

grain production in 1952 - 1957 - 1962 (million tonnes)

163.9 - 195.1 - 160

meat production in 1952 - 1957 - 1962 (million tonnes)

3.4 - 4 - 1.9

index of gross output values of agriculture in 1952 - 1957 - 1962 (million tonnes)

100 - 124.8 - 99.9