Final answer:
The Great Leap Forward led to the creation of backyard furnaces aiming to increase steel production, but it resulted in low-quality steel and massive pollution. This initiative ultimately led to significant agricultural decline and a severe famine, causing the death of millions and raising questions about central economic planning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Leap Forward was an initiative led by Mao Zedong to transform China into an industrial superpower. One iconic example of technology produced during this period was the backyard furnaces. These were small-scale furnaces built by Chinese peasants encouraged by the government, in an attempt to rapidly increase steel production. However, these furnaces failed to produce high-quality steel and led to a significant amount of pollution. The broader impact of the Great Leap Forward was disastrous, as it resulted in a steep decline in agricultural productivity, which along with poor policy decisions, led to a catastrophic famine killing millions. The campaign's failure cast a long shadow of doubt on the efficacy of centralized economic planning in achieving rapid industrialization.