4 PESTS CAMPAIGN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE FOUR PEST

Objectives, Execution, Failure, And Consequences CAMPAIGN

Between 1958 and 1962, the Communist Party of China led
an
economic and social movement throughout the country
known as the Great Leap Forward.
THE GREAT CHINESE FAMINE
Besides rendering the sparrow nearly extinct in China, the
Four Pests Campaign led to the starvation and death of
between 20 and 43 million people.
CHANGES TO THE FOUR PESTS CAMPAIGN
The campaign against sparrows was ended by the
government.
Chairman Mao replaced the sparrow target with bed bugs.
However, in 1998, the Chinese government revived a new
version of the movement.
This time, the four pests are: rats, flies, mosquitoes, and
cockroaches.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CAMPAIGN

One of the movement's first campaigns was the Four Pests
Campaign, which is also sometimes known as the Great
Sparrow Campaign or simply Kill a Sparrow Campaign.

Mao Zedong, or Chairman Mao, initiated the Four Pests

Campaign as a move toward public hygiene, with the
following considered as pests; rats, flies, mosquitoes, and
sparrows.

EXECUTION OF THE FOUR PESTS CAMPAIGN

The Communist Party called Chinese citizens to act together
against what were considered pests.
The government published posters illustrating the need for
fly swatters, drums, gongs, and guns as tools in the fight for
improved public health. Sparrows received a large portion of
this attention, as citizens were encouraged to
make noise with pots, pans, and drums, which
scared the sparrows and resulted in them falling from the
sky from exhaustion.

3 OUT OF 4 PESTS WERE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE OF THEIR

ROLE IN SPREADING MALARIA, TYPHOID, AND THE PLAGUE.
SPARROWS WERE INCLUDED IN THIS LIST BECAUSE THEY
CONSUME RICE AND OTHER SEEDS FROM AGRICULTURAL
FIELDS.

ESTIMATES SUGGEST THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE

PUBLIC WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF 1.5 BILLION
RATS, 1 BILLION SPARROWS, OVER 220 MILLION POUNDS OF
FLIES, AND OVER 24 MILLION POUNDS OF MOSQUITOES.
IN TERMS OF ACCOMPLISHING ITS OBJECTIVE, THE FOUR
PESTS CAMPAIGN WAS A SUCCESS.