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Why did Mao begin the Great Leap Forward in 1958
rather than making them move and allowing huge migration of peasant labourers into cities, which would mean major unemployment, housing shortages and general inefficiency. By doing this Mao boosted Chinese industry to a much higher level.
This certainly increased production, and by the end of 1958 communes had boosted steel production a staggering 65%. By looking at these figures, we can see that Mao had subsequently succeeded in taking advantage in the energy of the masses – this being Mao primary aim, to catch up with the west. However, Mao was not content with this, and decided upon using propaganda to increase production. Posters, slogans and newspaper articles urged people to work longer hours whatever the weather as their contribution to the country. Mao urged people to produce at an alarmingly fast rate, this was perhaps a personal project for Mao and at an old age he expected to see results, fast.
To conclude, Mao launched the Great Leap Forward as a means of catching up with the west, in an industrial sense. He did this by setting up communes and “backyard” steel furnaces, each producing its own products that would form the backbone of Chinese industry. Perhaps most important of all, Mao utilised the huge population of China to empower industry and combat further technological and financial issues faced.