Mao's Backyard Furnace

Mao thought that steel production was the measuring stick for how well industrial growth was coming along. So every commune n was encouraged, or actually forced to set up what became known as backyard steel furnaces. Peasants who knew nothing about producing steel put their farming chores on hold and engaged in this activity. The output from their efforts was useless and couldn't be used in shouldn't have even been counted as actual steel output.