China’s Great Famine (1959-1961): Overview
Great Chinese Famine |
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Event | Great Chinese Famine |
Country | People’s Republic of China |
Location | Half of the country. Death rates were highest in Anhui (18% dead), Chongqing (15%), Sichuan (13%), Guizhou (11%) and Hunan (8%). |
Period | 1959–1961 |
Total Deaths | 15–55 million |
Theory | Result of the Great Leap Forward, people’s commune, Four Pests campaign and other factors. |
Consequences | Termination of the Great Leap Forward campaign; considered China’s most devastating catastrophe. |
China’s Great Famine (1959-1961)
Around forty years ago, China faced the world’s biggest famine. It happened from around 1959 to 1961, and sadly, about 30 million Chinese people died because of it. Additionally, nearly the same number of births didn’t happen or were delayed. The famine was mostly caused by ideological reasons. It’s considered as significant as the two world wars in terms of public deaths caused by humans, according to Richard Rhodes, an expert.
Now, after two generations, China has become economically successful and can provide enough food. In this article, we take a look at a detailed explanation of China’s Great Famine (1959-1961).
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