Mao Zedong implemented numerous economic policies involving both agriculture and industry that allowed him to sustain power. Policies such as his land reform program of 1950, his first five-year plan which lasted from 1953 to 1957, collectivization and his great leap forward of 1958 brought him great successes and failures allowing him to maintain power. In 1950, Mao's land reform program allowed him to gain massive support from the peasants who constituted the majority of China's population at the time. Mao, seeing the strength of the peasants, began to redistribute land from landowners to peasants. The aim of the program was to free forces to increase productivity in agriculture resulting in gaining support and power. This program showed a number of successes but also weaknesses for Mao. Through the land reform program the living standards of the peasants increased as they received land and were relieved from paying rent. The peasants had a say in the revolution and therefore strongly supported Mao. On the other hand, millions of landowners died and Mao became increasingly unpopular among them. All in all this policy was a success for Mao as the peasants had a greater influence on his maintenance of power than the landowners as they not only helped China increase most of its agricultural production but also made up the majority of China's population. making their group a more essential supporter. Furthermore, Mao's first five-year plan, from 1953 to 1957, aimed to achieve high growth rates in heavy industry. This was to be done by organizing farmers into collectives to increase productivity, abolishing private ownership of land and industry, and increasing employment to support industry. The government started with the septi...... middle of paper ......managing and initiating beneficial economic policies to convince the people to give it the support it needed. However, once in power with adequate supporters, Mao took the mandate he needed to develop a powerful country, no longer worrying about the human costs. It can therefore be said that at the beginning of his leadership he maintained power thanks to his economic policies. This remained to some extent, but the unfavorable factors were greater and damaged his status causing him to lose support. Eventually, like most other leaders, when they lack supporters, the favor of eliminating the opposition takes over giving rise to a regime that is safe for the ruler to retain power. Therefore I agree that economic policies played a huge role in maintaining power in the beginning but later took a non-beneficial turn forcing Moa to take extreme measures to maintain power..