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The Great Leap into the Industrial Age

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Economic Development and Social Change in the People’s Republic of China

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Abstract

Mao Tse-tung died on September 9, 1976. With his death, and that of Chou En-lai nine months earlier, ended an epoch in China’s development policy which had lasted more than 25 years. Basic tasks of reconstruction and development had been started, concepts of development policy specifically tailored to meet China’s needs were drafted, in part abandoned again, and the array of economic and social instruments accordingly formed or adjusted. Mao had placed the stamp of his character on this epoch, despite all opposition, even when this opposition had occasionally been powerful enough to control events.

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Note

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  58. Ibid., p. 6ff.

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  71. Ibid., No. 40 (Oct. 6), p. 17 (Nationality Law).

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  72. Ibid., No. 37 (Sept. 15), p. 5.

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  73. NCNA, Jan. 2, 1981.

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  74. Ibid., March 26, 1981.

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  76. Ibid., No. 43 (Oct. 26), p. 6.

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  77. Ibid., No. 33 (Aug. 17), p. 5.

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  78. Ibid., No. 27 (July 6), p. 11ff.

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  79. Ibid., No. 51 (Dec. 21), p. 11.

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  80. Ibid., No. 27 (July 6), p. 12.

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  82. Cf. MDA, No. 240/80 (Dec. 15, 1980); NCNA, Feb. 3, 1981.

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  83. Asahi Evening News, June 9, 1980.

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  84. BRe, 1981, No. 18 (May 4), p. 5f. Cf. also NCNA, April 25 and June 18, 1981.

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  85. Cf. Garms 1980, p. 983ff.

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  86. NCNA, May 21, 1981.

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  89. Ibid., May 8, 1981.

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  91. Ibid., Sept. 24, and Dec. 30, 1980.

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  92. Ibid., June 5, 1980.

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  93. JMJP, Jan. 2, 1981; NCNA, March 3, 1981. On the other hand, the NCNA item on March 6, 1981, stated that these enterprises comprised 60% of the total gross production value.

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  94. Ibid., Nov. 22, 1980: “The new investment procedure requires that enterprises engaging in capital construction sign contracts with the people’s construction bank, pay interest annually and retire loans on schedule according to the loan conditions. They will be rewarded if they complete their projects and pay off loans ahead of time and will be fined if they postpone the completion of projects or fail to repay loans on schedule.”

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  95. Ibid., Aug. 29, 1980; Jan. 29, Feb. 26, May 14, and July 16, 1981.

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  96. “Some state enterprises employ smaller sums which are made available by individuals, who receive a certain share as a dividend. However, as long as these dividends do not greatly exceed the bank lending rates, they cannot be called exploitation.” BRe, 1981, No. 6 (Feb. 9), p. 3; No. 21 (May 25), p. 15f.; Ca, Vol. 10 (1981), p. 29f.

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  103. Ibid., March, 1981.

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  117. NCNA, March 12, April 15, and July 7, 1981. Light industry’s share of total industrial production amounted to 42.7% in 1978, to 43.7% in 1979, and to 46.9% in 1980. The objections to the slow-down in the heavy industrial sector can be found in the Kung-jen jih-pao, Oct. 5 and 6, 1981.

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  1. Abteilung für Ostasienwissenschaften, Sektion Wirtschaft Ostasiens, Ruhr-University Bochum, Postfach 102148, D-4630, Bochum 1, Germany

    Professor Willy Kraus

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  1. Professor Willy Kraus
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© 1982 Springer-Verlarg New York Inc.

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Kraus, W. (1982). The Great Leap into the Industrial Age. In: Economic Development and Social Change in the People’s Republic of China. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5728-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5728-8_7

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-5730-1

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