Abstract

The Third Five-Year Plan of Peoples Republic of China(PRC) was an economic development plan that was supposed to launch from 1966 to 1970, first half of Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution(Cultural Revolution). In previous studies, effectiveness of Third Five-Year Plan was undervalued, and that is why full-fledged research has not been carried out on this topic. In-depth analysis, however, is necessary for two reasons. Firstly, economic development strategy, which PRC leadership meant to implement at Cultural Revolution, can be found by studying Third Five-Year Plan. Secondly, profound change, which implies economic situation during early period of Cultural Revolution, occurred when PRC establishing Third Five-Year Plan. This study starts at comparison between two documents, initial and revised drafts, both of which were written for setting of Third Five-Year Plan. The causes of changing and economic debates in early times of Cultural Revolution are followed after that analysis. This study led to following conclusions. First of all, Chinese leaders, so-called faction of radicals on Cultural Revolution, did not abandon economic development. For Mao Zedong and other leaders, development of the National Economic has always been key issue for nations survival. Next, process of variation in Third Five-Year Plan and its contents were closely related economic damages which were result of debates among Chinese leadership in early days of Cultural Revolution. The Third Five-Year Plan underwent a significant change when a large-scale war preparation plan called Third-Front Movement was incorporated into it. Through this process, initial plan, which was composed stably based on experience of Great Leap Forward movement and period of adjustment, was changed to be revised plan, which was more rigid and goal-oriented. Unfortunately, problems caused by this change have remained unsolved. Finally, Third Five-Year Plan was not overwhelmed by Cultural Revolution, but it managed to exert a certain influence on economic. In second half of 1966, economic debates arose to complete Third Five-Year Plan, and Chinese leadership decided to spread Cultural Revolution to economic areas. On contrary, when it was confirmed that Cultural Revolution had negative impacts on economy, Chinese leadership tried to quickly stabilize political situation by mobilizing Peoples Liberation Army. These adjustments show that Chinese leadership considered Third Five-Year Plan as an independent policy package from Cultural Revolution.

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