Industrial development and migration processes in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region during the first five-year plan (1952-1957)

The planned policy implementation was significant for economic development of China, not only the nationwide but local too. The main purpose of five-year plan realization was the building of metallurgical works, heavy and light industries and development of power engineering, communication lines and coal mining. However, not all regions of China had resource base for industrial development. But the condition of Inner Mongolia was more advantageous for the implementation of industrial projects than in the other regions. Having huge resources Inner Mongolia economically was one of the priority regions for Chinese central government. Development of metallurgical work in Baotou and ore mining in the region had significant impact on Inner Mongolian society, political and economic systems. The industrialization was some basic point of the related branches development and it was the beginning for development of coal mining, communication lines, active salt-making process, agrarian and woodworking industry development. Thus, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region became the industry base of North and Northern-East China. That position allowed to Inner Mongolia to receive huge investments for development of industries and communication. But strategically this region was forming as a transportation hub which connecting China and Mongolia. Industrialization of the region claimed many cadres. Before the industrialization there were not the educated cadres and industrial elites in Inner Mongolia. From this point of view Chinese central government made a decision to direct the cadres to Inner Mongolia for faster realization of industrial development, thereby, Chinese central government formed out-migration to Inner Mongolia, first of all by Han minority. The out-migration was divided on three stages. The first stage out-migration processes was absolutely disorganized and it didn't has clear purposes. The first wave of migrants consisted of soldiers and tillers that is the people who were not educated. The second and the third waves of migration had prepared and educated cadres, which consisted of teachers, engineers, doctors and qualified workers. The appearing of qualified labor force in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region impacted largely on industrialization course of the region and living standards of Inner Mongolian cities. However, in spite of positive impact of Han migration on the economic development, interethnic relations between Han and Mongols continued to deteriorate.

Keywords

Authors

References