Improvements+in+Living+Standards

Most of Mao's policies did not bring about improvements in living standards.
 * Great Leap Forward (1958-1960)
 * new agricultural methods Mao implemented were not meant to be applied for china's land. This brought about crop failure, drought, and later, widespread famine and starvation among the chinese
 * attempt to industrialize was lead to more and more people trying to create steel in "backyard furnaces". however, it turned out that most of the steel made in backyard furnaces were unusable.
 * Cultural Revolution (1966) caused social chaos and turmoil
 * Red guards
 * Mao increased emphasis on the youth, some youth were willing to betray even their parents for Mao