The Communists brought about much change in the 1950s.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] (a) e.g. 'They were an important part of land distribution under the Communists.'
2. '(a) They were organised by Communist regional party leaders.'
3. '(a) These were meetings of peasants that were set up once the Communists were in power.'
4. '(a) Peasants would tell how they had been mistreated by their landlords.'
5. '(a) Former landlords were accused of charging very high rents.'
6. '(a) Former landlords were held accountable for their mistreatment of their tenants under the old regime.'
7. '(a) The meetings were often emotional, hostile and one-sided.'
8. '(a) If landlords refused to answer questions, they were often insulted or punished.'
9. '(a) The purpose of most meetings was to humiliate rather than punish the landlords.'
10. [4-5] (b) The first Five-Year Plan was important because it greatly increased China's industrial production. All industries were put under government control and production targets were set for each factory over five years. Workers were told that if they did not reach their targets, they would be letting everyone down. This led to increases in production of steel, coal, oil and other products.
11. [2-3] (b) e.g. 'Mao wanted to turn China into a leading industrial country.'
12. '(b) Increases in production would enable China to afford larger and more modern armed forces.'
13. '(b) It increased China's industrial production.'
14. '(b) It transformed China with large cities and industries developing.'
15. '(b) It showed that communism was working.'
16. '(b) Its success encouraged Mao to go ahead with the Great Leap Forward in 1958.'
17. [4-6] (c) 'I agree that the agricultural reforms were more important for the people. Before communism they had rented their land from grasping landlords who mistreated and exploited them. Mao introduced land reform. The land, machinery and animals were taken from the landlords and given to the peasants who could take their former landlords to people's courts for punishment. This was a big improvement for many peasants. However, their plots of land were small and this led to inefficient farming, so the land of a number of families was put together into cooperative farms. This was more efficient and peasants could afford modern machinery and methods. The production of food went up and the peasants were better off.'
18. OR
19. '(c) I disagree. Although at first the peasants were given land to own and farm, by 1955 this land was being put into collective farms and then huge communes. The peasants no longer owned the land and their lives were strictly controlled. They were made to work hard and lost a lot of freedom. They had to work as they were directed and were not allowed to do any farming for themselves. They were even made to work on non-agricultural work which was not successful. The farming was neglected, food production went down and by the end of the 1950s there was a famine.'
20. OR
21. '(c) I think the social reforms were more important, especially for women. There were many reforms that benefited them. Foot binding was stopped and women were given the same education as men. The Marriage Reform Law banned forced marriages and husbands were not allowed to marry more than once. Women were also encouraged to work and it was made easier for them to get a divorce. In other words, they had more freedom and were being treated as equal to men.'
22. [2-3] (c) e.g. 'The peasants were given their own land.'
23. '(c) Peasants were able to have their former landlords punished.'
24. '(c) Cooperative farms allowed peasants to use modern methods and machinery.'
25. '(c) The introduction of communes took the land away from peasant ownership and took away many of their freedoms.'
26. '(c) The introduction of massive communes led to famines.'
27. '(c) Women were given more rights such as not being forced into marriage.'
28. '(c) Women were allowed to work.'
29. '(c) Free education and health care were provided.'
30. '(c) Most peasants became literate.'