Victories in socialist revolution and construction in China from 1949 to 1976:
Response to the economic crisis: Revolution and socialist construction

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Revolution and socialist construction are the solutions to the permanent crisis besetting semicolonial and semifeudal societies like the Philippines. This was demonstrated by the Chinese people's brilliant victories from 1949 to 1976 when they established a modern and progressive Chinese nation under the banner of socialism.

The Philippine economy's current weakness and the Filipino people's widespread suffering recall the situation of semicolonial and semifeudal China and the Chinese people before their revolutionary struggle triumphed in 1949.

Like the Philippines, China then was a backward and impoverished country. It was exploited by various imperialist powers and ruled by the comprador-big bourgeoisie, warlords and corrupt bureaucrat capitalists. The Chinese economy before 1949 was fraught with crisis, widespread unemployment and hunger.

China was able to overcome the semicolonial and semifeudal system when the new-democratic revolution led by the Communist Party of China triumphed in 1949. It carried out socialist construction until 1976, producing unprecedented advances in the fields of agriculture and industry, and improvements in the people's livelihood.

Let us review the victories of the Chinese revolution and have a glance at the changes that the Filipino people can realize in traversing the path of people's democratic revolution and socialist revolution and construction.

Agriculture

Land reform was immediately carried out after the establishment of the people's democratic government. The feudal system of land ownership was dismantled. Consequently, a large portion of the wealth created by the peasant masses and which the landlords used to appropriate, benefited the peasantry.

Collectivization was likewise advanced and the socialist spirit propagated in the countryside. Collectives and people's communes were formed. The banner of serving the people was proudly waved.

Production grew due to the peasant masses' immense socialist spirit coupled with the implementation of agricultural mechanization.

Using scientific means and through the people's assiduous efforts, land was irrigated on a wide scale, mountains leveled and land reclaimed from the sea, resulting in the expansion of lands devoted to agricultural production.

Agricultural mechanization was expanded. From 1970-1974, the supply of tractors, other machinery, chemical fertilizers, plastics and electricity generated by industry for agriculture were more than double the 1949-1969 level.

The production of corn, wheat, rice and other grain grew from 110 million tons in 1949 to 246 million tons in 1971. Through the painstaking efforts of the peasant masses, land productivity increased. In the celebrated case of Daqai, a barren village in the mountainous part of Shanxi province, productivity grew to over eight tons per hectare from a mere 700 kilos per hectare in 1945-49. (Compare this to the current situation in the Philippines where productivity averages less than two tons per hectare even with the use of so-called high-yielding varieties.)

The Chinese people were able to overcome natural calamities, including the widespread drought in the north and massive floods in the south in 1972.

Industry

Before 1949, China had a very weak industrial base. In the main, it was similar to the present state of Philippine industry with the handful of light industries concentrated in a few areas; where there is no heavy industry; and where foreigners enjoy exclusive control. After 20 years of socialist construction, the Chinese people were able to establish a self-reliant and complete industrial system. In 1972, total steel production reached 23 million tons, 14,500% greater than the 158,000 tons produced in 1949. China was likewise able to produce various new products from steel including the high temperature resistance alloys, precision alloys and ultra-high-strength steel used in constructing the gigantic bridges spanning the Yangzi River, huge seafaring vessels and ultrasonic jets. (In the Philippines, even sewing needles are imported.)

The steel industry was the key that enabled the Chinese people to develop industries that created machinery and establish various other enterprises on a large scale. The overall production of machinery doubled in 1965-1972. Under the banner of socialism, industry in China produced tractors, land vehicles, equipment for the metallurgical, petroleum and chemical industries as well as scientific instruments.

By 1974, China could produce in a few days' time the equivalent of all the electricity it generated in 1949. Many hydro and thermal plants were established throughout the entire country to reach the far corners of China.

The petroleum industry was developed. Until 1949, most of China's crude oil was imported because local production could only manage 120,000 tons. This has been surpassed many times over. With the establishment of the people's democratic republic, large-scale oil exploration, extraction and refining were carried out. By 1963, local crude oil production was sufficient to meet the needs of all of China. Oil production further grew with the discovery of deposits at Daching that by 1970 was gushing 50 million tons of crude oil every year.

Mining was developed. In 1949, there were only 20 coal mines. By 1974, there were over 800 modern coal mines producing enough coal to meet China's needs.

The chemical industry was developed. From nothing or practically nothing, China was able to produce chemical fertilizers, medicines and synthetic fabrics, among others.

Light industries were developed, producing cotton textiles, soap, watches, sewing machines, cameras, bicycles and many others. The distribution of light industries throughout the country improved. Even remote areas like the Tibetan Plateau, which is among the highest places in the entire world, were able to build modern paper, leather, sugar and match factories.

07 November 2004
English Edition

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