Changes Under Mao - Industry

1. Changes under Mao: 1949-1963
Learning Objectives:
To examine how industrial reforms altered China between 1949-1957
Key Words:
Common
Programme
Agrarian Reform
Law
Peoples Courts
Speak Bitterness
Meetings
Mutual Aid Teams
Co-Operatives
Collectives
Five Year Plan

2. Starter
Propaganda poster: New
view in the rural village, 1953
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957
• How useful is this
poster to an historian
who wants to study
Chinese agriculture
under Mao Zedong?
• Describe how the
Agrarian Reform Law
changed Chinese
agriculture?
• Explain how
successful the
Agrarian Reform Law
was?

3. How did Industry
Change?
• When the CCP
took over the
economy was in
ruins. Industry
had been
destroyed and
inflation was over
1000%.
• Mao introduced
a series of
measures to deal
with this chaos:
1. Mao ordered prices and wages to be
fixed at a low rate. He punished black
marketeers severely. Inflation was down to
15% within a year.
2. He increased the taxes paid by business
and in 1953 took over all businesses.
Government planned and organised what
should be produced.
3. He took over private banks and
introduced the ‘People’s Bank’ in 1951 and
a new currency the Yuan introduced. This
helped to stabilise the currency.
4. Railway links were repaired and taken over
by government so that industries could be
supplied with coal.
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

4. • By 1953 the economy had
stabilised and Mao began
the first 5 Year Plan.
• With the help of the USSR he
began an ambitious
programme to build new
industries.
• Thousands of Russian
scientists and engineers
supervised millions of
Chinese on over 700 major
projects.
The Five Year Plan 1953-
1957
What does the above
poster tell us?
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

5. Nanjing Bridge over the Yangzi River
Steel -
bridge
spars
Girders –
Steel
Steel -
Deisel
engine
Steel –
railway
lines
Steel -
pipes
Iron -
Railings
Steel - Motor Vehicles
Iron –
lamp
posts
Ships
IRON COAL CEMENT OIL RUBBER
Why did Mao want to develop
Heavy Industries first?
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

6. The idea for Five Year Plans was borrowed from Stalin’s Russia.
It involved the ideas of:
• NATIONALISATION - Private businesses and industries are
taken over and run by the national government – state
control.
• CENTRAL PLANNING - All decisions about the economy are
decided by the central [national] government.
• TARGETS / QUOTAS - To increase output the government sets
production ‘targets’ which have to be met within a 5 year
time span.
• INCENTIVES - To encourage workers [and supervisors] to
work harder to reach the targets set, ‘incentives’ are
offered eg. bigger food ration, better apartment, better
schooling for their children.
How was the 5 Year Plan
organised?
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

7. • The plan achieved
astounding results. Motivated
Chinese workers surpassed all
the targets.
• In five years, China was criss-
crossed with railways which
moved vital goods over vast
distances.
• The population of cities
soared as peasants moved to
the jobs created in the new
industries.
The Five Year Plan 1953-
1957
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

8. Production figures
before the start of
the 1st Five Year
Plan.
Expected production figures
at end of 1st Five Year Plan.
Compare 1957 figures with
1952 figures.
S
S
S
F???
F???
S
Were these
failures?
How successful was the first
Five Year Plan?
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

9. • PRIDE - in helping to build a strong, modern and
industrialised China with a 9% growth rate.
• CONCERN - due to increasing shortages both of food and
luxury and consumer goods. Why were there shortages?
• FOOD - Most surplus farm produce was being sent overseas
to buy machinery for China’s industries.
• LUXURY AND CONSUMER GOODS - The Chinese economy
was focused on developing heavy industries, there were
few resources available for consumer products - soap,
clothing, etc.
• CONCERN - movement of peasants from countryside into
the cities to work in the new industries. More mouths had to
be fed. (1949-57 went from 57 to 100 million)
The Five Year Plan 1953-
1957
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

10. Use your text books (pg.30-33) and your own knowledge to answer
the below questions.
The Five Year Plan 1953-
1957
Reasons for the
plan
Industries
Success and
failures
Soviet Help
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957

11. • Read ‘The Hundred Flowers’ (pg.33) and make notes.
• Complete question C on pg.33
• Read the worksheet on the ‘Hundred Flower Campaign’ and
complete the tasks on this sheet.
Homework: The Hundred
Flower Campaign
LO: To examine how
the agricultural and
industrial reforms
altered China
between 1949-1957