Great Chinese Famine

Quick Facts: Who was Great Chinese Famine?

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Great Chinese Famine

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A catastrophic man-made famine in China (1959–1961) linked to radical state policies.

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Origins & Early Life

The Great Chinese Famine (Chinese: 三年大饥荒; lit. 'three years of great famine') was a famine that occurred between 1959 and 1961 in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Some scholars have also included the years 1958 or 1962. It is widely regarded as the deadliest famine and one of the greatest man-made disasters in human history, with an estimated death toll due to starvation that ranges in the tens of millions (15 to 46 million), with newer estimates concentrated around 30 to 46 million excess famine deaths. The most stricken provinces were Anhui (18% dead), Chongqing (15%), Sichuan (13%), Guizhou (11%) and Hunan (8%).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The major contributing factors in the famine were the policies of the Great Leap Forward (1958 to 1962) and people's communes, launched by Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong, including inefficient food distribution within the nation's planned economy; the state's extremely high grain confiscation rates for foreign exports; the use of poor agricultural techniques and poor irrigation projects; the Eliminate Sparrows Campaign which significantly disrupted the Chinese ecosystem; over-reporting of food production and political suppression from the CCP; and the rapid transition of millions of farmers to industrial labor, iron production, and steel production. During the Seven Thousand Cadres Conference in early 1962, Liu Shaoqi, then President of China, formally attributed 30% of the famine to natural disasters and 70% to man-made errors (三分天灾，七分人祸). After the launch of Reform and opening up, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officially stated in June 1981 that the famine was mainly due to the mistakes of the Great Leap Forward as well as the Anti-Right Deviation Struggle, in addition to some natural disasters and the Sino-Soviet split. Aside from the "Three Years of Great Famine" (三年大饥荒), there are two names for the famine that have been used by the Chinese government. Initially, the usual name was "Three Years of Natural Disasters" (三年自然灾害).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In June 1981, this was changed to "Three Years of Difficulty" (三年困难时期), thus no longer blaming nature alone for the famine. The Great Chinese Famine was caused by a combination of radical agricultural policies, social pressure, economic mismanagement, and natural disasters such as droughts and floods in farming regions. The Chinese Communist Party introduced drastic changes in farming policy during the Great Leap Forward. During the Great Leap Forward, farming was organized into people's communes and the cultivation of individual plots was forbidden. Previously farmers cultivated plots of land given to them by the government.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1958: 1958 Milestone — Some scholars have also included the years 1958 or 1962.
2. 1959: 1959 Milestone — 'three years of great famine') was a famine that occurred between 1959 and 1961 in the People's Republic of China (PRC).
3. 1962: 1962 Milestone — During the Seven Thousand Cadres Conference in early 1962, Liu Shaoqi, then President of China, formally attributed 30% of the famine to natural disasters and 70% to man-made errors (三分天灾，七分人祸).
4. 1981: 1981 Milestone — After the launch of Reform and opening up, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officially stated in June 1981 that the famine was mainly due to the mistakes of the Great Leap Forward as well as the Anti-Right Deviation Struggle, in addition to some natural disasters and the Sino-Soviet split.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Great Chinese Famine

True or False: “The Great Chinese Famine was solely caused by unforeseen natural events like droughts and floods.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While natural disasters played a role, the famine is widely regarded as a man-made disaster stemming from policies like the Great Leap Forward.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abraham Flexner — Historical peer (Died in 1959) (1959): Pioneering American educator known for reforming US and Canadian medical and higher education.
• Ahlam Mosteghanemi — Historical peer (Born in 1959) (1959): Pioneering Algerian poet and novelist, celebrated for her evocative Arabic literature.
• Aaron Sorkin — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Master of fast-paced dialogue, known for 'walk and talk' storytelling.
• Abderrahmane Sissako — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Mauritanian-born Malian film director known for themes of globalization and exile.
• Abhijeet Bhattacharya — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Veteran Indian playback singer known for Hindi, Bengali, and diverse regional music.
• Alec Baldwin — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Versatile American actor known for dramatic depth and comedic timing.
• A. K. Fazlul Huq — Historical peer (Died in 1962) (1962): Pakistani statesman and jurist, known as Sher-e-Bangla, a founding father of Pakistan.
• Abdullah II of Jordan — Historical peer (Born in 1962) (1962): King of Jordan, a Hashemite monarch who assumed the throne in 1999.
• Abel Gance — Historical peer (Died in 1981) (1981): French cinematic pioneer, celebrated for his mastery of montage and epic filmmaking.
• Abigail Spencer — Historical peer (Born in 1981) (1981): American actress, producer, and writer known for roles in soap operas and dramas.

Frequently Asked Questions about Great Chinese Famine