Black Market in Mao’s China
Abstract:
The topic I chose is black markets in the era of the Mao Zedong witnessed in China. The intent behind this era as initiated by Mao was to radically increase agricultural and industrial production within China while bringing the country into the brink of an idealistic communist society equal to western country like Great Britain. During this era, more emphasis was laid on the production of steel while reorganizing the agricultural sector in which private ownership of land was abolished, and peasants were sent to work in communes. However, the lousy weather and false leadership witnessed during this era led to food shortage across China since there was no production of goods as early anticipated which led to silent Cultural Revolution. I seek to explore how the black markets occurred and determine the impacts of the black market on the Chinese economy and Chinese people as a whole. And this project will mainly focus on the Black Market under the Mao’s hand and the total reform after the death of Mao.