Dear my 同士,
Today, I would like to convey the realities of the current situation in China. The country I live in now is challenging and chaotic. I moved to the countryside to learn more about the current situation and tell you about the case. My family is not in such a difficult situation because of its essential position in the Communist Party. Still, I would like to go to the most miserable places and report on the status. It is dangerous to note such criticism and consider my position because it seems Rightest. The problem is too rapid a policy change and too high an ideological goal. Recently, the government assigned tasks to the peasants, such as steel production and the extermination of the four pests, and fined them if they failed to complete them. Thus, the peasants sacrificed their livelihoods to meet the government’s demands. This might cause a terrible situation in local areas. However, there was no way that rural villages in the region could have the technology to produce high-quality steel. The metal used for cooking pots and farm implements was also collected and melted. Of course, this steel was also unusable. In addition, since many farmers were mobilized for this movement, the farmland left unmanaged became desolate, and agricultural production was significantly reduced. In today’s society, once the government gives an order, almost the entire population is mobilized to follow the order. However, this has caused the following devastation.
Mao is implementing the Great Leap Forward policy to grow the country faster. However, countless people suffer from famine, and the death toll is high. This is a tragic situation, more so than in any previous war. The famine is so bad that people suffer from unbelievable conditions in the countryside where I am now. Some people said they ate dirt because there was no food and their stomachs were empty. This has created severe health problems; many suffer from constipation, edema, and food poisoning. This also seems to be happening in cities, with large numbers of children suffering from rickets (a disease that causes weak and soft bones), a disease caused by malnutrition. Some sold their children to survive, and because of this shocking environment, many had mental illnesses. Also, the current situation is dire, especially for women. Many women suffered from hunger and exhaustion, which led to amenorrhea and uterine prolapse, the loss of the muscles that support the uterus. Young women were expected to work as much as men, sometimes subjected to sexual violence and humiliation. Grandmothers at home were also expected to care for their grandchildren, cook, and do all the household chores. 1959 was believed to be a good harvest and fertile year for our country. But imprisonment, endless political campaigns, and this severe hunger could be considered a “season of death.”
The damage caused by drought and flooding is also severe. Is there any way out of this disaster-like situation? We can only hope for the Mao and the Communist Party.
This suffering is very tragic, however, you did not mention the big issue of widespread corruption in the Party. How can we move forward as a nation towards socialism if we have rightists in our midst?
It is crazy to me that most Chinese people don’t know the extent of how many casualties came about because of this famine. Is it worth risking our lives to tell the people the truth?
You are right; these are trying times, particularly for women. However, let us be careful not to blame Mao for such tragedy. The Soviets could have supported China more, and there are still rightists within the party at all levels that must be eradicated. They greedily take from the peasants!
Not only did you mention the regulations the CCP implemented but you also talked about the peasant experience which allowed you to really display the truth of how The Great Leap was going for China. It was a very difficult time for peasants to be productive and live a decent life.
Are you blaming the famine as a direct result of Mao’s policies he implemented to try to help China? Maybe it was the people who didn’t take these policies serious.