I do wish that people with strong opinions about China would study Chinese history instead of Fox News before writing about it. This is just a re-hash of the 'Bad Foreign Leader [name here]' meme and a gross misrepresentation of Mao and his accomplishments.
Mao it conflates “capitalism” with “imperialism.”? Dear God! Mao wrote Presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower, offering to come to Washington to talk personally, “China must industrialize. This can only be done by free enterprise. Chinese and American interests fit together, economically and politically. America need not fear that we will not be co-operative. We cannot risk any conflict”. All ignored him. [Barbara Tuchman].
Nor did anyone starve to death during the Great Leap. Mao had rebuilt the rail and road system by then so, since he had been feeding million-man armies on the march, under fire, for 20 years, everybody got something to eat every day. That is evidenced by the fact that life expectancy doubled under Mao (but fell under Deng).
As to the lasting benefits of his tenure, Despite failings and setbacks, it is an inescapable historical conclusion that the Maoist era was the time of China's modern industrial revolution. Mao oversaw the fastest economic takeoff in world history, the fastest population growth, the fastest longevity gains, the fastest industrialization.
Starting with rubble and an industrial base smaller than Belgium's, Mao transformed China into one of the largest industrial producers in the world. National income grew five-fold, from 60 Bn to 300 Bn yuan, with industry accounting for most of the growth. On a per capita basis, the index of national income at constant prices increased from 100 in 1949 to 160 in 1952, to 217 in 1957 and 440 in 1978. National income increased 63% on a per capita basis from 1957 to 1975, while the population doubled.
Mao defeated the USA in battle, made China a nuclear power, developed rockets and satellites, increased life expectancy from 35 to 67 and completed land reform and basic industrialization. In fact, China's economic takeoff under Mao is unequalled in world history.
I do wish that people with strong opinions about China would study Chinese history instead of Fox News before writing about it. This is just a re-hash of the 'Bad Foreign Leader [name here]' meme and a gross misrepresentation of Mao and his accomplishments.
Mao it conflates “capitalism” with “imperialism.”? Dear God! Mao wrote Presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower, offering to come to Washington to talk personally, “China must industrialize. This can only be done by free enterprise. Chinese and American interests fit together, economically and politically. America need not fear that we will not be co-operative. We cannot risk any conflict”. All ignored him. [Barbara Tuchman].
Nor did anyone starve to death during the Great Leap. Mao had rebuilt the rail and road system by then so, since he had been feeding million-man armies on the march, under fire, for 20 years, everybody got something to eat every day. That is evidenced by the fact that life expectancy doubled under Mao (but fell under Deng).
As to the lasting benefits of his tenure, Despite failings and setbacks, it is an inescapable historical conclusion that the Maoist era was the time of China's modern industrial revolution. Mao oversaw the fastest economic takeoff in world history, the fastest population growth, the fastest longevity gains, the fastest industrialization.
Starting with rubble and an industrial base smaller than Belgium's, Mao transformed China into one of the largest industrial producers in the world. National income grew five-fold, from 60 Bn to 300 Bn yuan, with industry accounting for most of the growth. On a per capita basis, the index of national income at constant prices increased from 100 in 1949 to 160 in 1952, to 217 in 1957 and 440 in 1978. National income increased 63% on a per capita basis from 1957 to 1975, while the population doubled.
Mao defeated the USA in battle, made China a nuclear power, developed rockets and satellites, increased life expectancy from 35 to 67 and completed land reform and basic industrialization. In fact, China's economic takeoff under Mao is unequalled in world history.
From 1880-1914 Germany's GDP grew 33% per decade.
Japan from 1874-1929 was 43%.
The Soviet Union from 1928-58 hit 54%.
Mao's decadal rate was 64%.