Experiences from The Great Leap Forward

An interview project at CCACC Adult Day Healthcare Center (ADHC) collected the experiences of seniors from various historical Chinese events, including the Great Leap Forward.

Image Credits: PC-195a-s-013 (chineseposters.net, Private collection)

Led by Mao Zedong from 1958 to 1962, the Great Leap Forward was an ambitious campaign for rapid industrialization. Previous attempts/methods of gradually accumulating capital were inapplicable for China, as the large population living in rural land led to less investment in heavy industry. As a result, in Henan 1958, the first experimental commune of the Great Leap Forward was launched. In the communes, which eventually spread across the country, farmers were grouped and were collectively responsible for the grain output of the land. The goal was to create an agricultural surplus to turn into capital. However, the reality of the campaign's execution proved disastrous.

The Disaster of the Great Leap Forward

The model of communes led to little incentive for farmers, as they could live off of grain farmed by others. Furthermore, deep plowing and overcrowding of seeds stunted the growth of crops. As a result of commune inefficiency and natural disasters, agricultural production remained the same. However, communes still had to send a large proportion of grain to cities, leading to famine in the countryside. China was plunged into one of the deadliest famines in human history, with an estimated 18-45 million people dying from starvation.

Many seniors who survived this period recount the harrowing experiences they endured. A former teacher states, “At my school where I taught, 40+ people killed themselves. I know a family that was suspected to be members of the Nationalist Party of China, and they were captured. Everybody in the family committed suicide from lethal injection. Another family I knew crushed themselves. And many more people jumped off high buildings.”

He considers himself lucky, stating, “ In the 60s, many Chinese people didn’t have enough to eat, but I was relatively OK because I lived in Beijing, the capital.”

The Production of "Native Iron"

Another senior explains, “I remember the Great Leap Forward was when students in school went to pick up iron scraps like steel pipes, etc., that people had thrown away. After picking them up, they were placed in furnaces to produce steel.”

At the time, China faced a shortage of imported iron, so the production of “native iron” began in 1956. Mao Zedong encouraged people to set up backyard steel furnaces where citizens could melt down scrap metal into steel. Many farmers were sent to factories for steel production, which resulted in a shortage of farmers. She further states, “We went to Song Jiang to work in the factories and had to walk far to get there…This was in my early 20’s. If your grandpa were still in mainland China during the time, he would also have to work in the factories.”

However, political rivalry caused Mao to purge anyone who criticized his policy. This resulted in commune leaders collecting non-existent surpluses from citizens, only worsening the famine. Furthermore, Mao rejected any foreign aid. Another senior shares a similar experience: "We had impossible quotas. They wanted us to grow hundreds of kilograms of produce per square meter. China also lied to make themselves look better off”, reflecting the propaganda Mao often used.