The Great Chinese Famine: Causes, Consequences, and Resolution

By Djaurv

The Great Chinese Famine (1959-1961) remains one of the deadliest man-made famines  in history, with estimated deaths ranging from 15 to 45 million people. This catastrophic event  was largely the result of political mismanagement, radical agricultural reforms, and a harsh natural  environment. Understanding the causes, consequences, and eventual resolution of the famine  offers important insights into the impact of governance and economic planning on human welfare. 

Causes of the Famine 

1. The Great Leap Forward: The primary cause of the famine was the implementation of  the Great Leap Forward(1958-1962), an ambitious economic and social campaign led by  Chairman Mao Zedong. The Great Leap Forward sought to transform China from an  agrarian society into a socialist utopia through rapid industrialization and collectivization.  The government pushed for the creation of large agricultural communes, which replaced  family-run farms. Traditional farming practices were disrupted as the state took control of  food production, distribution, and pricing. Moreover, unrealistic grain production quotas  were set, and the over-reporting of yields by local officials to meet these targets  exacerbated food shortages. 2. Agricultural Mismanagement Radical agricultural policies, including the "Four Pests  Campaign," were also a major factor in the famine. This campaign, intended to improve  agricultural productivity, focused on eradicating pests like sparrows, which were believed  to harm crops. However, the mass killing of sparrows led to ecological imbalance, with  insect populations (like locusts) flourishing unchecked, leading to further crop damage.  Additionally, Mao’s belief in "close planting" and the use of unproven techniques, such as  deep plowing, reduced agricultural output. 

2. Agricultural Mismanagement Radical agricultural policies, including the "Four Pests  Campaign," were also a major factor in the famine. This campaign, intended to improve  agricultural productivity, focused on eradicating pests like sparrows, which were believed  to harm crops. However, the mass killing of sparrows led to ecological imbalance, with  insect populations (like locusts) flourishing unchecked, leading to further crop damage.  Additionally, Mao’s belief in "close planting" and the use of unproven techniques, such as  deep plowing, reduced agricultural output. 

3. Political and Bureaucratic Failures: The highly centralized nature of Chinese governance  during this period meant that local officials were under extreme pressure to meet unrealistic  production quotas. In fear of punishment or loss of status, many exaggerated harvest  reports, leading the central government to overestimate food availability. This  misrepresentation led to the continued requisition of grain from rural areas, even as  villagers starved. Moreover, dissent or criticism of government policies was discouraged,  stifling any attempts to address the crisis. 

4. Natural Disasters: Environmental conditions also contributed to the famine. China faced  a series of floods, droughts, and other natural disasters during these years. However,  historians largely agree that while these factors worsened the famine, they were secondary  to the policy-driven causes. The combination of political missteps and natural calamities  resulted in a perfect storm of food scarcity.

Consequences of the Famine

1. Human Toll: The immediate and most devastating consequence of the famine was the  massive loss of life. Entire villages were wiped out as people succumbed to starvation.  Malnutrition led to the spread of diseases like dysentery and typhoid, further increasing  mortality. Families resorted to desperate measures, including eating tree bark, wild plants,  and even clay. In extreme cases, reports of cannibalism surfaced. The famine also had  severe long-term demographic effects, with reduced birth rates and long-term population  deficits.

2. Economic Impact: The economic consequences of the famine were significant.  Agricultural productivity fell sharply as overworked and undernourished peasants could  not tend to their fields. The decline in labor force efficiency, combined with widespread  food shortages, set back China’s economic development for years. The famine also  disillusioned many within the Communist Party, eroding support for radical economic  policies. 

3. Political and Social Consequences: The famine severely undermined Mao Zedong’s  political authority, forcing him to retreat from the front lines of economic policy-making.  In response to the crisis, leaders like Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping took more control,  introducing more pragmatic economic policies aimed at recovering agricultural  productivity. The Great Leap Forward was eventually abandoned, and Mao’s influence  temporarily waned, though he would later regain power during the Cultural Revolution. 

Resolution of the Famine

1. Policy Reversals: By 1961, the Chinese government began to recognize the scale of the  disaster, and policy changes were gradually introduced. The failure of the Great Leap  Forward led to the de-collectivization of farms, with families being allowed to grow food  for their own consumption and for the market. Private farming, though still limited, was  reintroduced in some areas, leading to a slow recovery in food production. 

2. Political Shifts: Pragmatic leaders like Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping implemented  reforms to stabilize the economy and prevent further disasters. They restored incentives for  individual labor and took steps to increase agricultural productivity by scaling back on the  worst aspects of collectivization. Mao was sidelined in economic matters, though his return  to power during the Cultural Revolution would bring further upheavals. 

3. International Assistance: While China’s leadership was initially reluctant to accept  foreign aid, fearing it would expose their failures, they did eventually import grain from  countries like Canada and Australia to alleviate the worst of the food shortages. This  importation of foreign grain helped stabilize food supplies in critical areas.

4. Long-Term Lessons: The famine taught China’s leadership a harsh lesson about the  dangers of rapid, untested economic reforms without proper feedback mechanisms. Future  economic policies, especially those under Deng Xiaoping's leadership after 1978,  emphasized gradual reforms, market liberalization, and more careful management of agricultural production.

Conclusion

The Great Chinese Famine was a complex event driven by political ideology, economic  mismanagement, and environmental factors. Its devastating consequences left a lasting impact on  China’s development, fundamentally reshaping its governance and economic strategies. The  famine serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of effective policy-making, transparent  governance, and the need to listen to the realities on the ground. In many ways, the famine laid the  groundwork for China’s future reforms, as leaders recognized the importance of balancing  ideology with practical, sustainable economic policies. 

Sources 

1. Dikötter, F. (2010). Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating  Catastrophe, 1958–1962. Walker & Company. 

2. Becker, J. (1996). Hungry Ghosts: Mao's Secret Famine. Free Press. 

3. Kung, J. K., & Chen, S. (2011). "The Tragedy of the Nomenklatura: Career Incentives and  Political Radicalism during China's Great Leap Forward." American Political Science  Review, 105(1), 27-45. 

4. Yang, J. (2012). Tombstone: The Great Chinese Famine, 1958-1962. Farrar, Straus and  Giroux.