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Communist China's Agricultural Calamities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

W. K.
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Extract

Communist China is entering yet another year of calamities of major proportions. They stem chiefly from its unbalanced fanning industry and affect every sector of its economy.

Chinese and Western analysts have come full circle in their assessment within the last three years. In China the exuberance of the Great Leap Forward has given way to the gloom of austerity programmes and emergency regulations. Abroad, the voices praising the miracles of 1958 have been displaced by those reporting disaster and starvation. Those advising caution and moderation in the face of obvious Chinese exaggerations tend to be dismissed now as they were then.

Type
Recent Developments
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 6 , June 1961 , pp. 64 - 75
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 1961

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References

1 DrBiehl, M., China in “World Economy,” Half Yearly Report of the Institute of World Economy, Kiel, 12 1958.Google Scholar

2 As quoted by Irvine, Reed J. in “Phantom Food in Communist China,” Asian Survey, Vol. I, No. 1, Berkeley, California, 03 1961.Google Scholar

3 Non-food crops and livestock numbers were similarly affected by statistical exaggerations.

4 Snow, Edgar, A Report from Red China. Look, 01 31, 1961.Google Scholar

5 As given by Wio-Yang, Ho and Ch'un-Lsü, in “distribution and exchange of China's agricultural products,” Kuang-ming Jih-Tsao, 02 27, 1961Google Scholar. See Survey of China Mainland Press (Hong Kong: U.S. Consulate-General), No. 2515. Figures as high as 700 million are sometimes quoted, but these seem unduly inflated.

6 If the population were in fact 700 million, supplies as calculated for 1960–61 would provide only 1,700–1,750 calories per head per day.

7 Reference has been made to this question in the March and April (1961) issues of Jen-min Jih-pao and Kuang-ming Jih-pao discussing a critical article on the “group concept in agricultural production” by Hung-chang, Yin, published in Jen-min Jih-pao 06 13, 1960Google Scholar. See Current Background (CB) (Hong Kong: U.S. Consulate-General), No. 652.

8 Hung Chi (Red Flag), third and fourth issues, Peking, 02 1961.Google Scholar