From 1949 To The Beginning Essay Example

this, the initial objective of the Marriage Law seems to have been successful. As reported on 29 September, 1951 by the People's Daily, divorce had become relatively uncommon. The populace was puzzled as to why they would choose to divorce when they had wed out of their own free will. Nonetheless, enforcing this law was difficult for the rural population who were constrained by old traditions. Conversely, in more developed urban areas, where inhabitants were better educated and had more exposure to the Western way of life, it was easier for them to accept new ideologies.

Introducing changes influenced by foreign cultures made it easier for the younger generations to adapt, including the prohibition of foot binding as part of women's rights. However, this idea was not wholly accepted as elders believed it took away from the traditional beauty of women. The policy aimed to relieve women from foot binding pain, but also served an economical purpose with the introduction of more women working in the field. Mao realized that with bound feet, it would be difficult for women to work and contribute to the country's growth.

After the Women's Rights movement, Mao deemed it imperative to address and revamp China's economy as a means of rescuing the country from the disorder it was facing. Since China's economy was predominantly centered around agriculture, Mao opted to approach the issue from that angle. This led to the introduction of a new policy known as Land Reform, which aimed to distribute land equally among China's populace by taking from wealthy landowners and giving to the peasants. The first step in implementing this policy was to assess the "class" of

each individual in a village based on their economic status, occupation, education level, and property ownership.

Following this, the government would hold a "Speak Bitterness Meeting" for the peasants to accuse landlords who had been cruel to their tenants. The Communist Party would then determine the landlord's fate, which could include taking their land and turning them into a peasant, sending them to a labor camp or Thought Reform School, or even execution. The land would be redistributed equally, resulting in people having small holdings or plots of land. Unfortunately, this policy made the situation worse. Previously, peasants were hired by rich landlords to work on small sections of farming using the landlord's equipment. Now, each person had their own farmland, but lacked the necessary knowledge, equipment, and funds.

According to Brooman Josh (2000:30), peasants were often disappointed after receiving their land as they had no equipment or money to buy equipment. Additionally, some had fields that were too small to cultivate. To address this, people joined the Mutual Aim Team where they shared knowledge, animals, and equipment. Eventually, in 1953, the government and Party convinced peasants to form lower-stage cooperatives where thirty to fifty families combined their lands for a more efficient farm.

While technically peasants maintained ownership of their land on permanent loan to the state-run cooperative, rent was paid to each family. To increase grain production, lower-stage cooperatives consolidated into larger ones composed of 200 to 300 families. However, the key difference was that the state took control of the land, paying peasants wages for their labor rather than rent. Although this led to a higher grain production in China, it had significant social

implications.

Brooman Josh (2000:30) reported that 2 to 4 million landlords were at risk of execution through the Speak Bitterness Meeting. Although this number may seem insignificant in comparison to China's population, it is important to note that even the death of 6 million Jews during World War II was considered a significant loss. Furthermore, the peasants who benefitted from this policy were likely confused and angry because they eventually lost all their acquired land, resulting in widespread uncertainty and mistrust towards the government. Despite these challenges, Mao remained determined to pursue his ambitious goals.

China implemented a Five Year Plan from 1953 to 1957, inspired by the USSR, with the aim of modernizing its industry and enhancing its competitiveness in the global market. The plan focused on heavy industries such as steel, coal, iron, cement and electricity, aiming to shift away from agriculture towards industrialization. The government took over factories and banks previously owned by individuals to achieve this objective. Additionally, the plan aimed at increasing production output significantly so that resources could be used to build crucial infrastructure like hospitals, schools and railways. Hard work was expected from every citizen to accomplish the goals set forth in this plan.

Aside from its civilian applications, the production during this period was also intended for weapon construction, as China faced a formidable foe: Chiang Kaishek, who was preparing for a counterattack while residing in Taiwan. Appendix 1 attests to the tremendous success of this Five Year Plan. By the end of its fifth year, all forms of production had either doubled or exceeded their targets. This signaled a significant surge in China's economy, but it also created

several social problems. Foremost among them was the matter of poorly paid workers subjected to long hours of labor and harsh discipline - a contradiction with the Communist ideal of "from each according to his ability: to each according to his needs."

In summary, the situation had regressed to a proletarian system where overcrowded towns led to problems with food shortages, housing and pollution. Additionally, there was a scarcity of consumer goods like clothes and appliances, resulting in a drop in living standards for the Chinese population. Unhappiness over these conditions was widespread.

There were doubts about the reported production amount of the Chinese factories. It is possible that the results were falsified, as the leaders of each factory would face punishment for not meeting the required production. This suggests that some factories may have fabricated their results. In 1956, Mao initiated the Hundred Flowers Campaign, which allowed freedom of speech for people to criticize the government or Party. Mao stated in a speech that correct ideas can only be fostered through discussion, criticism, and reasoning. However, the result of this campaign was unexpected as people heavily criticized Mao.

In accordance with Brooman Josh (2000:33), during that time, a former warlord expressed the ideas and opinions that were prevalent. The warlord stated that Mao was reckless and not self-assured; impetuous and not prudent; hot-tempered and not sober-minded; and incisive but not thoughtful. Although Mao strove for greatness and merit, he needed to become more observant of facts to learn the truth. He relied on false reports and limited his interactions to those who flattered him. This indicates that not every individual was content under Mao's rule. Mao

eventually became infuriated by these criticisms and was apprehensive about his position.

Consequently, he swiftly enforced strict control over the populace, resulting in the prohibition of freedom of speech. Censorship and propaganda were enforced as an alternative, further propelling him towards a dictatorship. Ultimately, the Hundred Flowers Campaign proved unsuccessful.

During Mao's leadership, it was recognized that education played a vital role in societal achievements. To this end, an education system was implemented in China in 1956, making primary education mandatory and increasing the number of middle schools. This effort led to an increase in the country's average literacy rate, as education became accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds, even though many peasants did not pursue further education beyond basic reading proficiency.

Han Suyin reported that in 1960, illiteracy was present in 24% of urban areas and 65% of rural areas. This is recorded on page 141 of her work. Despite this, it was a remarkable accomplishment since most individuals were able to read up to 1500 characters that were relevant to their daily routine.

According to Han Suyin (cited on page 141), the improvement in social conditions seems to have been quite successful. The ability to read has led to higher education and increased knowledge in various careers. Mao also introduced significant changes in health. Before 1949, peasants in China had limited access to modern and traditional medicine.

According to J. Horn, modern doctors tend to gather in developed cities to increase their profits, while traditional doctors residing in rural areas often have close ties with landlords and officials. Due to this, peasants are typically unable to afford medical care from either type of

doctor and instead rely on individuals knowledgeable in acupuncture. However, Mao's health program enforced government funding for peasant training as doctors.

This led to a rapid increase in the availability of doctors in rural areas, and also generated numerous job opportunities for peasants. This has been particularly beneficial for impoverished peasants who could not afford to seek medical help from professional doctors. As part of the health initiative, pest control campaigns were launched to improve public sanitation. In these campaigns, everyone was expected to kill at least one fly and one rat. Walsh Ben notes that "Each family member had to produce one rat's tail a week as evidence of his/her contribution!" (Walsh Ben 1998:271). Ultimately, the improvement of public hygiene significantly reduced the incidence of parasitic and infectious diseases over the long term.

The changes that occurred during the period of transformation had both positive and negative impacts on the Chinese people. Mao's primary focus was on economic growth, with little consideration for citizen emotions. The Land Reform and Industrial Reforms led to various societal issues, resulting in a decreased standard of living and widespread despair among most of the population. Furthermore, Mao's censorship regulations and restriction on freedom of speech further diminished his popularity among the general public.

Although there may not have been any unfavorable consequences, the only areas that have experienced positive changes are health and education. Nonetheless, the triumph in enhancing the economy signifies that these alterations were still advantageous. The accomplishments have propelled China into a fresh stage, transforming it into a progressively industrialized and competitive nation worldwide.