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Chairman Mao Zedong introduced the Third Five-Year Plan (Cultural Revolution) to address the challenges that ordinary Chinese experienced during the implementation of the Second Five-Year Plan (Great Leap Forward) - NSC History - Question 4 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 4
Chairman Mao Zedong introduced the Third Five-Year Plan (Cultural Revolution) to address the challenges that ordinary Chinese experienced during the implementation o... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Chairman Mao Zedong introduced the Third Five-Year Plan (Cultural Revolution) to address the challenges that ordinary Chinese experienced during the implementation of the Second Five-Year Plan (Great Leap Forward) - NSC History - Question 4 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Do you agree with this statement?
Answer
In assessing whether Mao Zedong's Third Five-Year Plan was introduced to address the challenges from the Second Five-Year Plan, it is important to analyze both plans and their outcomes critically.
The Second Five-Year Plan (Great Leap Forward) aimed to industrialize China rapidly and transform its agrarian economy. However, it resulted in severe economic decline, with unsustainable agricultural policies leading to widespread famine and significant loss of life. Mao's push for collectivization and the establishment of 'People's Communes' failed to increase agricultural productivity as intended, and mismanagement led China toward bankruptcy.
The Third Five-Year Plan (1966-1970), initiated during the Cultural Revolution, can be viewed as a response to the failures of the Great Leap Forward. While it aimed to restore political authority and stabilize the economy, its implementation was hampered by the chaotic environment of the Cultural Revolution, which focused on ideological purity rather than practical economic solutions. Therefore, while it can be argued that the Third Plan was a reaction to the previous failures, it did not effectively resolve the underlying issues but rather exacerbated them.
In conclusion, I partially agree that the Third Five-Year Plan sought to address the challenges of the Second Five-Year Plan, but it failed in its execution due to the ideological fervor of the Cultural Revolution.
Step 2
Use relevant evidence to support your line of argument.
Answer
Evidence supporting this argument includes:
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Economic Indicators: After the Great Leap Forward, the Chinese economy faced a dramatic decline, with severe agricultural output failures and famine that necessitated a shift in economic policy.
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Mao's Acknowledgment: Mao Zedong later admitted mistakes from the Great Leap Forward, which further suggests that the Third Five-Year Plan was an attempt to correct the course set by its predecessor.
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Cultural Revolution's Impact: The mere existence of the Cultural Revolution alongside the Third Plan indicates a struggle within the party to regain legitimacy and control over the economic direction amidst ideological battles.
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Historical Context: The appointment of leaders like Liu Shaoqi, who proposed more practical policies, demonstrates a shift away from Maoist ideology towards measures that could stabilize the economy after the damages of the Great Leap Forward.
By examining these aspects, one can see the complexity of Mao's intentions and the historical context in which the Third Five-Year Plan was introduced.