China’s Economic over the Period Of 1966 To 1976 Economics Essay

China’s Economic over the Period Of 1966 To 1976
Name:
Institution:
China’s Economic over the Period Of 1966 To 1976
Introduction
The period between 1966 and 1976 in China’s economic history is known as the Cultural Revolution. Mao was the leader of China during this period, and several sources have cited him as the brain behind the occurrences that happened in China during the Cultural Revolution era. It is believed that the Cultural Revolution began when Mao attempted to revive the revolutionary spirit in China. Sources have cited that this was a way of cleansing the bureaucratic tendency, which had taken course in Chinese government. As a result, the Chinese economy experienced a glimpse of downfall, especially in urban areas. Industrialization faced a significant setback in the Chinese economy during this period. Several policies were established with one leading to the establishment of another as a way of mitigating the situation. The situation continued until 1976 when Mao died and marked the end of the Cultural Revolution era. Though the effects on the economy were felt during this period, economic experts argue that the results were not quite severe.
High tide of Cultural Revolution 1966-1969
The first episode of the Cultural Revolution was the high tide, which was experienced between 1966 to 1969. During this interval, political activity among students and various groups of workers took center stage. The events were majorly staged in urban areas where most institutions and industries were located, thus making the effects to be felt mainly in urban areas (Clark, 2008). As a result, the impacts of political instability and disruption began to condense down to the ordinary people. First, there was a production halt in various industries as agricultural production also stagnated. The production halt is believed to result from the involvement of workers from mines and factories in political activities.
Secondly, the increased requisition of trains and trucks by students, who were known as the Chinese Red Guards, affected the transport sector. The Chinese Red Guards used the trains and trucks to travel around the country, thus creating a shortage in the transport sector. Consequently, it led to a reduction in the supply of raw materials as well as other industrial inputs (Clark, 2008). This is because the revolting students had occupied the vehicles used to transport raw materials and other factory supplies. Another policy established during the high tide period of the Cultural Revolution was the implementation of changes in the management of industries. The consequences of these changes included the stumbling of the factories. This was because members of the revolutionary committees, who were mandated to run the industries lacked knowledge and skills perform. Also, the technical workers who were either demoted or sent down to work in the countryside left gaps within the factories, as members of the revolutionary committee could not replace their expertise.
On the other hand, the intense political activities during the high tide period eventually influenced the closure of learning institutions. Closure of these institutions caused severe and long-lasting effects on the Chinese economy. Thi...