Final answer:
The Great Leap Forward resulted in the failure of the agricultural sector, extreme famines, and the deaths of 20 to 40 million people, marking it as one of the greatest economic disasters in history.
Step-by-step explanation:
When China began a modernization program called the Great Leap Forward in 1958, the country aimed to transform from a rural farming society to an industrial superpower. However, this policy resulted in the failure of the agricultural sector, famines, and the deaths of 20 to 40 million people.
The ambitious program meant to dramatically increase industrial and agricultural production ended up leading many to question the practicality of central economic planning. The Great Leap Forward is widely regarded as one of the greatest economic disasters in history, severely damaging China's economy and causing widespread human suffering.
c. It failed and thousands died.
The Great Leap Forward was a social and economic campaign initiated by the Chinese Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, from 1958 to 1962. The goal was to rapidly transform China from an agrarian society into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization.
However, the campaign was poorly planned, and its implementation led to widespread famine and economic disaster. Agricultural collectivization and other policies resulted in a significant drop in food production, causing one of the deadliest famines in history. Millions of people died due to starvation and other related causes during the Great Leap Forward. The campaign's failure also had severe economic and political consequences for China.