The document discusses the Great Chinese Famine that occurred from 1958 to 1962. It summarizes a book that uncovered hidden documentation about the famine in government archives. The famine was caused by Mao Zedong's disastrous economic policies and the collectivization of agriculture into communes. This led to the deaths of tens of millions of people from starvation but the events have been suppressed in the Communist Party's history of China.

1. LECTURE 7. HUMANITY &
CATASTROPHIC CHANGE: THE
GREAT CHINESE FAMINE (1958/62)

2. “ EAT FREE WORK HARD”
1. YOU WILL NOT FIND MANY AUTHENTIC PHOTOS OF THE VICTIMS
OF THE GREAT CHINESE FAMINE ( 1958 – 1962). THE VICTIMS OR
THEIR WITNESSES DID NOT OWN CAMERAS.
2. BY AN EXTRAORDINARY QUIRK OF THE LEGENDARY
BUREAUCRACIES OF COMMUNIST STATES, AUTHOR YANG
JISHENG ACCESSED HIDDEN DOCUMENTATION DEEP IN
GOVERNMENT ARCHIVES TO PRODUCE “TOMBSTONE: THE
GREAT CHINESE FAMINE, 1958-1962”. DO READ IT
3. THIS LECTURE SUPPORTS HIS EVIDENCE, OF A CATASTROPHIC
EVENT WHICH HAS BEEN SWEPT INTO THE DUSTBIN OF THE
COMMUNIST PARTY’S HISTORY OF CHINA.
4. HOPEFULLY THIS LECTURE WILL SUGGEST ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL
INTERNAL CONTRADICTIONS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY’S RULE
OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE.

3. THE STRENGTH OF YANG’S STUDY
“ YET THE STRENGTH OF YANG’S STUDY IS IN ITS ABILITY TO TRACE
LINKS BETWEEN THE POLIBURO & THE PEOPLE’S COMMUNES. HE
DEMONSTRATES HOW ELITE –LEVEL DECISIONS WERE FILTERED
THROUGH THE PARTICULAR PRISMS OF LOCAL POLITICS & WERE
INTENSIFIED BY PROCESSES OF POSITIVE & NEGATIVE
FEEDBACK…THE IMAGE OF THE SYSTEM THAT YANG PRESENTS IS
ONE BESET BY HORRIFIC REPRESSION & DESPERATE SURVIVAL
STRATEGIES…YANG’S STUDY HAS AN UNAPOLOGETICALLY
POLITICAL AGENDA. ITS PRIMARY TARGET IS THE TOTALITARIAN
RULE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, WHICH, HE CLAIMS, LACKS A
‘CORRECTIVE MECHANISM’ TO ARREST THE DEVELOPMENT OF
CORROSIVE DECISION-MAKING PATTERNS (P.496)…LATER HE
GOES FURTHER, CLAIMING THAT EVERYONE BORE AT LEAST SOME
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SYSTEM THAT DROVE CHINA TO
STARVATION .” ( DR. CHRIS COURTNEY. MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY.
BRITISH INTER-UNIVERSITY CHINA CENTRE)

4. 1953: CHINA’S YEAR OF THE WATER
SNAKE
• THE WATER SNAKE IS A VENERATED IMAGE, COMBINING STRENGTH &
ACUMEN. & THE BODY OF THE DRAGON.
• THE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY (PLA ) & NORTH KOREAN ARMY HAD
LOST 1 MILLION MEN & WOMEN (SOVIET ESTIMATES) IN THE
MOUNTAINS OF KOREA.
• THE REVERED CHAIRMAN MAO ZEDONG, TURNED 60 HAD LOST HIS
MENTOR & SOUL-MATE JOSEF STALIN, WHO WAS NOW BEING
DENOUNCED BY KHRUSHCHEV.
• FOR A SON OF THE SOIL LIKE MAO, 1953 WAS CLEARLY A YEAR OF
MAJOR PIVOT FOR CHINA TO FULFILL ITS DESTINY OF BECOMING A
MAJOR WORLD POWER; ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY, & MILITARILY.
• BUT HIS FIRST STEP IN THIS DIRECTION WAS A MAJOR BLUNDER – HE
DENOUNCED KHRUSHCHEV FOR DENOUNCING STALIN.
• KHRUSHCHEV – THE VICTOR OF STALINGRAD – DID NOT MESS AROUND.
HE CANCELLED 156 MAJOR SOVIET INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS IN CHINA.

5. THE TWO GREAT PILLARS OF WORLD
COMMUNISM: 1953

6. 1953 - ?: “SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE
CHARACTERISTICS” (1)
1. CHAIRMAN MAO LAUNCHED THE FIRST 5 YEAR PLAN TO TRANSFORM CHINA.
2. CHINA HAD A POPULATION OF 557 MILLION:
77 MILLION LIVED IN THE CITIES & 480 MILLION LIVED IN RURAL CHINA.
3. THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA, WAS A MINISCULE PART OF THIS HUGE
POPULATION. IT WAS THE LAW OF THE LAND. ITS MEMBERS WERE CAREFULLY
CHOSEN TO BE EXEMPLARS OF THE NEW WAY OF LIFE – & MEMBERSHIP “FOR
LIFE”. ITS BRAIN POWER IN BEIJING WOULD SET OUT & IMPLEMENT PLANS FOR
CHINA’S LONG MARCH TO BECOME A WORLD SUPER-POWER.
4. MEMBERS -& OTHER CHINESE - & THEIR FAMILIES - WHO MADE
“MISTAKES” WERE INSTRUCTED TO CORRECT THEM. FAILURE TO DO THIS
MEANT A DISCIPLINARY PROCESS THAT BEGAN WITH HUMILIATION & COULD
END IN DISGRACE , DISAPPEARANCE & DEATH.
5. SINCE 1950 MAO’S MINISTER FFOR PUBLIC SECURITY HAD DEALT WITH THE
“MISTAKEN” THUS: 2 -5 MILLION EXCECUTED; 1.5 TO 6 MILLION SENT TO
“REFORM THROUGH LABOUR” CAMPS; & A RATIO OF 1 INFORMER TO EVERY 3
PERSONS (THE EAST GERMAN GOLD STANDARD).
6. CHAIRMAN MAO PRESIDED OVER EVERYTHING & EVERYONE UNTIL HIS DEATH
IN 1976.

7. 1953 - ?: “SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE
CHARACTERISTICS”
• CHAIRMAN MAO, FOR ALL HIS BRILLIANCE AS A MILITARY
COMMANDER & POLITICAL LEADER WAS AN ECONOMIC DUNCE.
• HE OPTED FOR “STALINOMICS” INSTEAD OF LENIN’S BRILLIANT
COMPROMISE OF THE “NEW ECONOMIC POLICY” (N.E.P.) WHICH
WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT A COMMUNIST ECONOMY (WITH
SOME TWEAKING) COULD FIT NEATLY INTO WESTERN CAPITALISM.
• STALIN DISPOSED OF LENIN & SLAUGHTERED OR SENT TO GULAGS
ALL THE “NEPMEN”
• STALINOMICS IS STILL THE KEY ECONOMIC DOCTRINE OF
SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS & MAY SPELL THE
END OF THE CHINESE ECONOMY AS WE KNOW IT, TODAY – AS IT
DID TO THE SOVIET ECONOMY YESTERDAY.
• THE GREAT CHINESE FAMINE (1958 – 1962) IS AN EXEMPLAR OF
STALINOMICS AT ITS MOST PRIMITIVE.

8. MAO’s FIRST FIVE-YEAR PLAN
(1953 – 1957)
1. ESTABLISH 694 “LARGE & MEDIUM-SIZED”
INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS, 156 OF WHICH
WERE THE SOVIET-BACKED PROJECTS
CANCELLED BY KHRUSHCHEV & 538 “GRASS-
ROOTS” VENTURES WITHOUT
MANAGEMENT OR TECHNOLOGY SKILLS.
2. DEVELOP “AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS’ CO-
OPERATIVES” TO SOCIALISE AGRICULTURAL
& HANDICRAFT INDUSTRIES.

9. THE CHINESE PEOPLE HAVE STOOD UP
& ARE WALKING DOWN THE
SOCIALIST ROAD (1956)

10. FARMING IN CHINA (1953) (1)

11. FARMING IN CHINA (1953) (2)

12. FARMING IN CHINA (1953) (3)
• AVERAGE FARM SIZE: 2.1 HECTARES
• EACH FARM SPLIT INTO ABOUT 5 OR 6 PLOTS
GROWING A VARIETY OF FOOD CROPS.
• THIS FOOD COULD FEED 2/3 PRIME AGE MALES (1900/2000 CALORIES /DAY)+ 1
CHILD + 2/3 FEMALES (1500/1600 CALS/DAY).
• NORMAL SEASONS: FARM WOULD PRODUCE ENOUGH SURPLUS TO PAY
EXPENSES/DEBTS. ( F.A.O. FOUND 1950 FARM PRODUCTIVITY SAME AS OTHER
ASIAN FARMS (EITHER OWNED OR SHARE FARMED).
• MAJOR FARM WEALTH CAME FROM 1 OR 2 DRAFT ANIMALS + OFTEN 2 OR 3
PIGS, SOME CHICKENS & FISH POND (MOSTLY CARP)
• FIELDS FERTILISED BY FAECES & URINE.
• FOR 1000s OF YEARS CHINESE FARMERS, WHEN LEFT ALONE BY CENTRAL
AUTHORITIES , FED THEMSELVES ( 86% OF CHINA) & THE 14% WHO LIVED IN THE
CITIES.
• SINCE 800 AD ONLY 10 MAJOR FAMINES WERE RECORDED, KILLING 80 MILLION.
• WHEN CONQUERING ARMIES LIKE THE JAPANESE CAME INTO CHINA, THE PEOLE
WERE ABLE TO FIND ENOUGH FOOD.

13. “COLLECTIVISATION” OF CHINA’S
AGRICULTURE: STAGE 1.
• FROM 1949: LOCAL PEASANTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO MURDER
LANDLORD FARMERS & PURGE OTHERS .
• BY 1953: 15% OF CHINA’S 50 MILIION LANDLORDS HAD BEEN
EXECUTED, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES. ANOTHER 25 MILIION
WERE SENT TO “RE-EDUCATION CAMPS”.
• BY 1953: BEIJING DECREED MUTUAL AID TEAMS: 7 FARMS
BROUGHT TOGETHER UNDER A COMMUNIST PARTY CADRE
SUPERVISOR. BY END OF 1953 58% OF CHINESE FARMS WERE
ABSORBED INTO 10 MILLION MUTUAL AID TEAMS.
• DRAFT ANIMALS OWNED BY THESE FARMS WERE HANDED OVER
TO JOINT OWNERSHIP OR “RENTED OUT” RENT TO BE PAID IN
GRAIN/FODDER/LABOUR.
• MUTUAL AID TEAM PERFORMANCE DEPENDED ON THE
UNSUPERVISED PARTY CADRE’S COMPETENCE & HONESTY.

14. PARTY CADRE SUPERVISING HARVEST
OF A MUTUAL AID TEAM FARM

15. COLLECTIVISATION OF CHINA’S
AGRICULTURE. STAGE 2
• 1953/54: MUTUAL AID TEAMS MORPHING INTO
ELEMENTARY FARMING CO-OPERATIVES OF 20
FARMS – OWNER’S LAND & PRODUCTION ITEMS
HANDED OVER TO THE CO-OPERATIVE UNIT
WITH PARTY CADRE IN CHARGE.
• DISPUTES ERUPTED BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL
FARM OWNERS AS TO RELATIVE QUANTITY &
QUALITY OF INPUTS BY EACH CO-OP MEMBER.
• BY DECEMBER 1955: 17,000 FARM CO-
OPERATIVES HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED, AND
WERE RE-BADGED AS “COMMUNES”.

16. PROPAGANDA PHOTO OF MAIN MEAL
AT A PEOPLE’S COMMUNE DINING
HALL. 1958

17. 1957 & THE REALITIES OF THE
COLLECTIVISATION: THE START OF THE
GREAT FAMINE (1)
1. BEIJING SIMPLY LOST TRACK OF THE RAPID COLLECTIVISATION OF FARMS INTO
16,000 NEW PRODUCTION UNITS SPREAD OVER 9 MILLION SQUARE KMS OF
RURAL CHINA.
2. THE BUREAUCRATS’ CONTACTS WITH THE MOSTLY MILITARY CADRES SENT TO
MANAGE THE COMMUNES WERE RELIANT ON POOR COMMUNICATION
FACILITIES.
3. FARMERS SUDDENLY DRAFTED INTO THE COMMUNES ACCEPTED DIRECTIONS
RELUCTANTLY & OFTEN VIOLENTLY.
4. VIOLENCE WAS MET WITH OFTEN BRUTAL RETALIATION BY CADRES.
5. ESPECIALLY GALLING FOR FARMERS WHO HAD BEEN MASTERS OF THEIR OWN
FATE WERE NOW PAID A WAGE ACCORDING TO “WORK POINTS” SET BY CADRES
WHO HAD NO UNDERSTANDING OF FARMING.
6. THE COMMUNES BOUGHT THE FARMERS’ ANIMALS AT AROUND ONE FIFTH OF
MARKET PRICES.
7. FARMERS WITHOUT ANIMALS WERE REQUIRED TO UNDETAKE ADDITIONAL
LABOUR AT RATES THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY EQUAL THE VALUE OF AN
ANIMAL.
8. ANIMAL NUMBERS DECLINED BY 4 MILLION IN 2 YEARS.

18. 1958: COMMUNE WORK TEAM
MARCHING TO WORK FIELDS

19. 1957: THE REALITIES OF
COLECTIVISATION. THE START OF THE
GREAT FAMINE (2)
9. MOST FARMERS WERE ILLITERATE, CADRES (EX-PLA) WERE SEMI-LITERATE & GOVERNMENT
DECISIONS WERE MOSTLY INTERPRETED BY WORD OF MOUTH.
10. WHEN DRAFT ANIMALS WERE TAKEN OUT OF FARM LABOUR, HUMAN LABOUR WAS
SUBSTITUTED (14,764 TRACTORS, 1789 COMBINE HARVESTERS & 4084 TRUCKS HAD TO BE
DISTRIBUTED AMONG 1600 CHINESE COUNTIES)
11. PROBLEMS BEGAN AT HARVEST TIME 1957 (A GOOD YEAR OF 208 MILL. TONS ( 39% HIGHER THAN
1953).
12. BEIJING REQUIRED THAT GRAIN (THE STAPLE FOOD) WAS TO BE STORED COMMUNAL LY
(FARMERS HOARDING THEIR OWN GRAIN WAS SEVERELY DEALT WITH & RIGOROUSLY POLICED).
13. UP TO 15% OF GRAIN HARVESTS WERE EXPORTED TO COMMUNIST BLOC & OTHER ASIAN &
AFRICAN NATIONS , PARTLY TO EARN DOLLARS TO PAY FOR IMPORTED MACHINERY &
ARMAMENTS & PARTLY FOR “SOFT DIPLOMACY”
14. THE NEXT IMPORTANT GROUP TO RECEIVE THE RATIONED GRAIN WAS THE 77 MILLION URBAN
CHINESE WHO WERE NEEDED FOR THE NEXT MAJOR INITIATIVE BY MAO – INDUSTRIALISATION.
THE REMAINING AVAILABLE GRAIN WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNE MEMBERS IN THEIR
DINING HALLS UNDER CLOSE SUPERVISION AND HEAVILY PROPAGANDISED.
15 A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF GRAIN WAS LEFT IN STORAGE, AS A DISASTER RELIEF.

20. MAO’s SECOND FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1958 -1962) “THE GREAT LEAP
FORWARD”
• THERE WAS GREAT OPTIMISM FROM THE
INCREASE IN COAL & STEEL PRODUCTION &
MUCH PROPAGANDA. 50 MORE CHINESE WERE
BORN, 1953 -1957.
• KHRUSHCHEV SAID THE SOVIET UNION WOULD
SURPASS U.S. INDUSTRY BY 1972.
• MAO SAID CHINA WOULD SURPASS U.K. STEEL
PRODUCTION BY 1972.
• THE SECOND PLAN WOULD: EXPAND HEAVY
INDUSTRY;COLLECTIVISE ALL PROPERTY;
STRENGTHEN NATIONAL DEFENCE.

21. DEVELOPMENT OF BEIJING’s
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SUPERVISING
THE CHINESE
• DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTI-LAYERED BUREAUCRACY IN
BEIJING & MAJOR CITIES, TO SUPERVISE MAJOR CHANGES
RESULTING FROM MAO’s DIRECTIVES.
• THE RULE OF LAW WAS THE RULE OF THE COMMUNIST
PARTY OF CHINA.
• THE MEMBERS OF THE PARTY DEDICATED THE THEIR
LIVES ( & THEIR FAMILIES) TO THE SERVICE OF THE PARTY.
• THE PARTY SCOURED ITS MEMBERS FOR GOOD
MANAGERS, BUT FOUND FEW.
• MAO’s DIRECTIVES WERE THE LAW. DEVIATION FROM
THEM , MEANT ACCUSATION OF “RIGHTISM” REQUIRING
REMEDIAL ACTIONS OR PUNISHMENT.
• PURGES WERE REGULAR, OFTEN LEADING TO EXECUTION.

22. PUTTING SURPLUS FARMERS &
FAMILIES TO WORK FOR THE STATE
• 1958: 500 FARMERS & FAMILIES MILLED ABOUT IN NEW
COMMUNES, TRYING TO FIT IN. LOUD COMPLAINTS BY THEM
MEANT PURGING FROM THE COMMUNE.
• 1958: 1587 NEW STATE-OWNED ENTERPRSIES STARTED UP NEAR
URBAN AREAS. USING SURPLUS LABOUR FROM COMMUNES. 30
MILLION. MANAGEMENT CHAOS & MANY PROJECTS ABANDONED
• SEPTEMBER 1958: MAO ORDERED COMMUNES TO BUILD
BACKYARD FURNACES TO MAKE STEEL TO MEET STATE TARGETS.
USED UP IDLE COMMUNE LABOUR, BUT PIG IRON/STEEL OF NO
INDUSTRIAL VALUE.
• 1958: IDLE FARMERS WERE CONSCRIPTED INTO WORK GANGS
DIGGING IRRIGATION CHANNELS FOR WATER PROJECTS.
UNREALISTIC TARGETS KILLED MANY FROM EXHAUSTION &
MALNUTRITION.

23. NIGHTFALL ON A COMMUNE: WORK
UNITS & FAMILIES MAKE STEEL

24. SURPLUS FARM LABOUR DIGGING
IRRIGATION CHANNELS

26. AGRICULTURAL MAP OF CHINA

28. C.I.A. INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE 1961
1. “IN SOME PROVINCES MANY PEOPLE ARE ON A BARE SUBSISTENCE
DIET& THE BITTEREST SUFFERING LIES AHEADIN THE PERIOD BEFORE
THE JUNE HARVESTS’
2. “SINCE 1958 THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GREATLY INTENSIFIED BY 2
CONSECUTIVE POOR CROP YEARS…MOREOVER THE QUALITY OF THE
CHINESE DIET HAS DECLINED : CONSUMPTION OF FOODS RICH IN
NUTRIENTS ( MEAT, VEGETABLE OILS & SOYBEAN HAS FALLEN. THUS A
VERY LOW PER CAPITA CALORIC INTAKE HAS BEEN SUSTAINED FOR
NEARLY 2 YEARS, DESPITE HEAVY DEMANDS FOR LABOR”
3. “SERIOUS DISEASES OF MALNUTRITION (BERI BERI & NUTRITIONAL
EDEMA) ARE WIDESPREAD. INCREASED INCIDENCE OF OF OTHER
DISEASES – TUBERCULOSIS & LIVER TROUBLE”
4. IN 1960 MOST OF THE WHEAT GROWING AREAS IN NORTH CHINA
WERE AFFECTED BY SEVERE & EXTENDED DROUGHT. …SOME AREAS IN
THE SOUTH WERE SUBJECTED TO TYPHOONS & FLOODS WHICH
CAUSED SEVERE LOCAL RICE SHORTAGES.”

29. TESTIMONY OF 15 – 55 MILLION
FAMINE DEAD IN CHINA