“三年自然灾害”时期我国省级政府对灾荒的反应和救助研究

This paper is aimed to explain the huge famine from 1959 to 1961. The literature on this topic paid much attention to the “trigger” mechanism rather than the persistency of the famine. Obviously we should explore why the famine lasted so long and I try to provide an answer by observing the grain distribution system and the behavior of provincial governments. I find that the provincial governments in those heavy stricken areas behaved confusingly. On one hand, they re sold large amount of grain to relieve the famine inside the provinces; on the other hand, they transferred grains outside to “help” other provinces. What made the situation worse was that the grain resale could be hardly delivered to the victims in time. The lagged relief was due to the planning grain distribution system which reacted slowly to the famine and actually collapsed during the famine period.