In the domestic economy, Mao also viewed self-reliance as a virtue outside the core economic sectors, such as mining, metallurgy, and railways, where the state exercised tight administrative control through national planing.
Especially after 1958, Mao encouraged each section of the country to become self-reliant, and in subsequent years he strengthened government policies in support of this goal.
this not only required that each part of the country develop an appropriate array of small-scale industries; it also demanded that every part of China try to grow enough grain to be self-supporting.
Given China's varied topography climatic conditions, this latter policy imposed enormous costs by requiring grain production in areas totally unsuited for it.