The Launch of a Political Satellite: Constructing the Ming Tombs Reservoir and 'Mass Engineering' in Communist China

Archives and oral histories show that the Ming Tombs Reservoir was a showcase project in Communist China directed by and involving the country's top leaders. This was one of the first projects to rely on the mobilization of physical labor rather than specialized machinery, driven by a belief in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Technology and culture 2024, Vol.65 (1), p.143-175
Main Authors: Ge, Yejing, Xiong, Weimin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Case studies
China
Communism
Communism - history
Construction
Design
Design engineering
Engineering
Engineering - history
History, 20th Century
Humans
Innovations
Mao Zedong (1893-1976)
Mobilization
Modernization
Mountains
Peasants
Political leadership
Politics
Reservoirs
Socialism
Technological change
Tombs
Traditions
Water conservation
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Summary:Archives and oral histories show that the Ming Tombs Reservoir was a showcase project in Communist China directed by and involving the country's top leaders. This was one of the first projects to rely on the mobilization of physical labor rather than specialized machinery, driven by a belief in self-reliance and the use of local resources. It argues that the focus on the "masses," rather than engineers or scientists, challenged established engineering procedures and technical traditions. Historical evidence suggests that adopting a "build while being designed" mindset and mobilizing the "masses," projects could be completed, but often in ways that ultimately proved less than optimal. The case study suggests that innovations fail when local enthusiasm and technical knowledge are not balanced. By focusing on the role of the "masses" in shaping a novel technological landscape, this article highlights "mass engineering" to better understand this model of native innovations and economic autarky.
ISSN:0040-165X
1097-3729
1097-3729
DOI:10.1353/tech.2024.a920519