The Great Leap

Greetings Tongzhimen,

The Great Leap Forward, led by the visionary Chairman Mao was a daring effort to propel our nation into an era of economic and social advancement. Its primary objective was to enhance productivity and accelerate industrialization aiming to transform China from an agricultural economy into a thriving industrial power. By uniting the strength of the people through the establishment of people’s communes, which aimed to pool resources, foster mutual assistance, and take advantage of economies of scale.

While a potentially necessary step towards modernization and catching up with other industrialized nations, the campaign had negative consequences. People’s communes, though well-intentioned, presented formidable challenges to rural communities. The transition disrupted established agricultural practices, leading to a decrease in agricultural production. These difficulties, expected during such a drastic societal shift, also serve as a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to modernization and progress.

 An unexpected challenge of people’s communes is the tendency for local cadres to make decisions not aligned with local conditions or the needs of the community along with over-reporting of grain production to meet grain production targets. These exaggerated reports masked the true extent of the food crisis. As a result, food scarcity in provinces across the country worsened into a food shortage. A report by the Jinan Municipal Investigation Team on the outbreak of famine and deaths in Gaoguanzhai township states Cadres would also often hoard rations for themselves. Out of desperation people resorted to consuming substitutes like tree bark, weeds, and corn husks. Millions died of starvation and malnutrition was widespread, particularly affecting the vulnerable, children and the elderly. 

A report from the Wanxian Region Committee recounts how local cadres subjected people to inhumane and brutal measures. They established illegal jails, unauthorized courts, and labor camps. Along with torturing individuals, subjecting them to hanging, physical beatings, forcing them to kneel on scorching coals, inflicting mouth piercings, and other heinous acts. Afterward, they would burn the dead bodies to get rid of the evidence. These actions not only failed to contribute towards meeting grain production targets but also inflicted immense pain and suffering on innocent individuals. 

Counter-revolutionary Wu Xing and his crimes were reported by the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee. He established illegal labor camps and punished people with hard labor if they did not show up to work or showed dissatisfaction. He used his power as a Cadre to threaten those he disliked. While the people in the village were struggling to survive, Wu Xing and his followers had a feast for every meal. Wu Xing and his followers are not comrades, they are greedy, power-hungry rightists who showed their true nature when times became difficult.   

Though the Great Leap Forward carried noble intentions with its grand vision it is crucial not to overlook the complexity of reality. We must learn from the hardships endured during the Great Leap Forward in order to build a prosperous future for our country.