Why is the Great Leap Forward often referred to as a "great leap backward"?

The Great Leap Forward is often referred to as a "great leap backward" primarily because it was an irrational effort that led to widespread famine and severe economic disruption. Launched in 1958 by Mao Zedong, the campaign aimed to rapidly transform China from an agrarian economy into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. However, the implementation was poorly planned and executed, resulting in significant agricultural failures.

Policies such as the establishment of communal farms, where peasant families pooled their resources, often led to neglect of crops and mismanagement. Reports indicate that the push for increased steel production, including the use of backyard furnaces, diverted attention and labor away from crop cultivation. Consequently, the outcome was catastrophic: millions of people died from starvation and related diseases due to the ensuing famine, with estimates of deaths ranging from 15 to 45 million.

This significant loss of life, coupled with the failure to achieve the intended economic progress, exemplifies why it’s termed a "great leap backward” instead of forward, highlighting the profound negative impacts of the policies put in place during this period.