Shouzhang "great Leap Forward" Movement

This thesis inspects and combs the evolutionary course of the Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county Shandong province in detail against the social political and economic background of China in the 50-60 years of the 20^th centuty. This thesis is based on rich material from newspapers and magazines and the memory of participants. Through the study of typical case, this thesis is to show how the Great Leap Forword Movement was developed in countryside? What attitudes of the largeness cadres and grass roots was in this Movement? How mutual-effected in the process of building up the model between visiting of leaders and countryside cadres, between visitors and grass roots? How propagandized the model by the media? How the model exerted influence?This thesis consists of three parts, including preface, main body and conclusion. The main body is divided into six chapters.The part of preface expatiates on the aim, the meaning, the current status, the literature of the study, the study scope and methods, the difficult points and innovations.The first chapter is on the historical background of the the Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county Shandong province. Through reviewing the building history, geography surrounding, history culture of Shouzhang county, we can tell as following: Shouzhang county was a short-in-food supplies county with large population, less land. There was no rich mineral resources in Shouzhang county. Agriculture was the main part of national economy. The Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county was Agriculture Great Leap Forword determining by natural conditions. Anti-right Deviation Movement and Criticizing-countering premature advance sweeped the obstacles for carrying out the disposing of The Great Leap Forword Movement.The second chapter is on the starting in due form of the Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county. It began in winter of 1957 in fact. Shouzhang county committee of the Chinese Communist Party convened a series of meetings to dispose the Great Leap Forword Movement in early years of 1958. Moreover, Shouzhang county committee propagandized the Great Leap Forword Movement by using Shouzhang Daily and slogan to inspire production enthusiasm of large cadres and mass. In this fanaticism, Shouzhang county committee made the Leap Forword Programming:Leap Yellow River, Leap Yangtse River, Guarantee one thousand food per unit of area. Shouzhang county launched the largest satellite of food production (create new and succeeded record in false and exaggerative ways) in Shandong Province on June 22th, 1958. This so-called satellite of high food production was 1587,5 kilometres per unit of area. It aroused violent influence both in Shandong province and except.The third chapter is on how Shouzhang county was built up the model of Great Leap Forword Movement, In calefactive process of Great Leap Forword Movement, the food goals and plan of Shouzhang county rose gradually. The central, province, city leaders inspected Shouzhang county usually. The inspection inspired the socialism-construction enthusiasm of large cadres and mass, at the same time it enhanced the mentality of phantasy and recklessness. In August 1958, Shandong province committee had a conference on spot in Shouzhang county and built up Shouzhang as popular model of carrying out the social-construction general line. The high target and turgidity in agriculture development promoted the productive relations to so-called higher forms. Shouzhang county had the rural movement of the people's commune according to Beidaihe meeting in August 1958. Shouzhang county committee had a plan constructing a better communist-society with two years in October 1958. It kept ahead the other areas in China in this issue. The model of Great Leap Forword Movement was constructed.The fourth chapter is on how to propagandize and popularize this model. The propaganda of high food production satellite relied on all kinds of newspapers, such as People Daily, Chinese Young Daily, Mass Daily, Shouzhang Daily and so on. On August 27th, 1958, People Daily published an article: how courage man has, how production soil has. This article narrated particularly the high production movement of five thousand kilometers per unit of area in Shouzhang county. It influenced the whole country quickly and drove the Great Leap Forword Movement in China.The Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county popularized more and more. Visitors, including the late Soviet Union, the North Korea, Japan and other international organizations, came to Shouzhang county in succession. A movement of "learn from Shouzhang, catch up with Shouzhang; learn from Taiqian, catch up with Taiqian" was developed in other provinces. In this driving movement, a sonorous slogan "how courage man has, how production soil has; it isn't not been done, it depends courage." was put forward by Fanxian county, Shandong province. Fanxian county committee made a communist-transition plan which was paid attention by Chairman Maozedong. The Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county had a reclame but seeded an apple of discord simultaneously. Evil consequence by Five Working Styles appeared from winter 1958 to spring 1959. The foodstuff decreased quickly. The population spilt over or died much. The productivity was damaged badly.The fifth chapter is on correcting the Left Deviation mistake and continuing the Great Leap Forword Movement. Evil consequence by Left Deviation appeared gradually and was paid more attention by CCCPC and Maozedong. CCCPC convened a series of meetings to correct the Left Deviation mistake. According to related meetings, Shouzhang county began to modulate high food production goals and people's commune and make all kinds of debt clear and definite. Five Working Styles was preliminarily held back. The Left Deviation mistake were kept within limits. After Lushan Meeting in 1959, Anti-Right Deviation movement spread all over China. Shouzhang county developed Anti-Right Deviation movement and modified leap forward goals. A new climax of the Great Leap Forward was created and Five Working Styles also returned here as before. A large scale of anti-concealment movement was launched in Shouzhang county and the Left Deviation mistake became more serious. The 9th plenum of the 8th Central Committee happened in January 1961 was a crisis correcting the mistake of Great Leap Forword Movement. Shouzhang county committee fulfilled central indication earnestly and corrected Five Working Styles to adjust national economy. The Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county was over.The sixth chapter is on the characteristics of the Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county and the reason why Shouzhang county was built up model. It had three characteristics. Firstly, it represented in agriculture, especially food production exaggerated badly. The climax of leap forword concentrated later years of 1958 relatively though the leap span was longer. It was reckless, broad influence, harmful. There were three reasons why Shouzhang county was built up model: personal reason, leaders' inspection, media propagandism. At last, the thesis discusses if the withdraw of Shouzhang county was related to the disgusting influence by the Great Leap Forword Movement.The epilogue ponders the Great Leap Forword Movement in Shouzhang county from three aspects: how to establish proper achievement view, how to supervise the main leaders and how to deal with model accurately.