Path of Chinese Industrialization

Mao Zedong made it clear in his article "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People" that we should take a "path to industrialization in China".

From the perspective of system choice, China should take the path of socialist industrialization; from the perspective of method or specific path selection, "the problem of path to industrialization here mainly refers to the relationship between the growth of heavy industry, light industry and agriculture.”

Mao Zedong emphasized that heavy industry is the core of China's economic construction, while full attention must be paid to the development of agriculture and light industry. Under the condition of giving priority to the development of heavy industry, both industry and agriculture should be developed at the same time. Agriculture is directly related to the food problem of the whole nation, and it is the main source of light industry, the main market of light industry, the important source of national accumulation and the main material for export. In a certain sense, agriculture is the development of industry and light industry. On the one hand, it can better supply the needs of people's life, on the other hand, it can increase the accumulation of funds faster. Therefore, Mao believed that in the long run, his approach will make the heavy industry develop more and faster, and the foundation for its development will be more stable because it guarantees the needs of people's lives.

In July 1959, Mao Zedong put forward the idea of arranging the national economy in the order of agriculture, light industry and heavy industry. According to this policy, the state must first arrange agriculture, light industry, and then heavy industry in the economic planning.

In arranging heavy industrial production, we should first arrange the production of means of production related to agriculture and light industry. The result of such arrangement was that the proportion of capital and material is still the main or key point for heavy industry. But such arrangement can ensure that the funds, materials and labor for the development of agriculture and light industry are not squeezed out, so it is necessary.