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Stalin and Mao

In: Historical Events

Submitted By gavin1086
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Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary School Education
History

School-based Assessment Task One
Study Outline

Name of Student : Cheng Ho Wai, Gavin Class : 5A Class No.: 06

Title :

Compare and contrast economic policies of Stalin (5 Years Plan) and Mao (First 5 Year Plan & Three Red Banners)

Study Outline :

The first half of the 20th century saw the rise of some single-party states and the rise to power of some of the famous and controversial figures. Leaders of these states, such as Hitler, Mao and Stalin, not only influenced other countries around the world, but also changed their countries internally as well. In Russia and China, Stalin and Mao built themselves up as a great and god-like leaders, they promoted personality cult and also forced their countries to go under a series of reforms, especially in the aspect of economy. As both of them are leader of communist countries, their aim of economic policies are likely to be the same. However, there are still some differences to be seen. Now, I would like to compare the economic policies of the supreme leaders in the world history.

Compare of Stalin and Mao .The conditions of Stalin and Mao are similar. Their countries both faced a hand-to-mouth existence at that time. In order to improve the livelihood of the people and to solid the rule of the communists, they both introduced economic reforms. However, their reforms were different from each other and brought different blessing to their countries.

In their economic policies, they both undertook aggressive industrial reform programs to industrialize their countries, though Mao undertook an alternative to Stalin's heavy industry model.

Stalin introduced three 5 Year Plans (1928, 1933 and 1938) and collectivization when he was in the office. The 1st 5 Year Plan focused mainly on heavy industry, very little in the way of consumer goods produced. Also, horrible working conditions and propaganda aimed to make workers work harder than before. The 2nd 5 Year Plan was different from the first one. Compare to the 1st 5 year plan, More realistic targets were set, the Russians were able to built on the achievements of the 1st 5 Year Plan. Also, the plan focused more on defense due to Mussolini and Hitler, the two leaders promoting totalitarianism and threatening the world. More machinery products and consumer goods were made and more food were produced. The 3rd 5 Year Plan mainly focused on armies as war loomed. The consumer production was put on hold. Besides these planning ,Stalin also promoted collectivization, it forced peasants to collectivize farms and agriculture to get more money to support industrialization(kolkhoz and sovkhoz) However, compared to the 1st and 2nd 5 year plan, it created more famine and mass death.

Mao's 1st 5 Year Plan and Three Red Banners were slightly different from Stalin's. The 1st 5 Year Plan in China aimed to end Chinese dependence on agriculture and focus more on industry. The results were good as China proved that she could support herself without USSR's assistance. However, the Three Red Banners brought an adverse effect to China. The plan actually focused on agriculture rather than heavy industry. Because of forced collectivization, farmers not only grew less products than before, but also worked to make steel and iron as well as infrastructure projects. This led to the biggest famine and deaths in Chinese history. This failure cause the loss of face for Mao, which hindered and had an adverse effect on China's modernization later on.

The conditions of Stalin and Mao are a bit similar, they both became leader after the establishment of the communist party and their countries were both trailing other nations at that time. According to the situations of their countries, they announced varies kinds of different economic policies to boost the economy, which affects the country in many different aspects. This gives an interest for me to study how the economic policies affect the whole country's development.

Also, both Stalin and Mao were famous and controversial leaders in the 20th century. They brought success to their countries but also caused harms to it. This topic actually provides a great chance to have an sight into two valuable leaders and quest their ups and downs in USSR and China respectively.

Besides that, the world is now protean. Each move or policies of a country can easily influence others. Mao and Stalin both played a significant role in the 20th century world. Therefore, it is interesting for me to explore the content of their economic policies of the two countries.

The economic policies of the two communist countries affected the world situation in the early 20th century. Therefore, I aim at finding out how the economic policies affect the country itself and the world's situation. Also, I aim to find out in what way did the economic policies lead to modernization in USSR and China. Besides that, I will compare the economic policies of Stalin and Mao as to find out their similarities and differences.

To achieve the objective, I plan to get the secondary sources from the books as listed below. Also, Internet resources can help to find out the content of the economic policies too. The collected information will be contributed to the content of the economic policies of Stalin and Mao as well as for their comparison.

Bibliography :

Edward Action, The Present And The Past Russia (Longman 1986)
Ronald Hingley, Russia A Concise History (Thames and Hudson 1972)
Liu Suinian, Wu Qungan, China's Socialist Economy (1949-1984) (Beijing Review 1986)

Stalin's 5 Year Plans : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five-Year_Plans_for_the_National_Economy_of_the_Soviet_Union
Mao's 1st 5 Year Plan : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five-year_plans_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China
The rise and the rule of single party states :
http://ibhistory.wikidot.com/12

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