Kher Rouge Era Policies

As the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia, it marked the start of major political changes that would leave a mark on the nation. Right after the country was taken over, CPK’s leader, Pol Pot, instantly applied economic and political policies that completely changed  Cambodia, as his belief was very different from the ones that ruled the land before. Pol Pot believed that the most effective way a Cambodia can develop is to focus all efforts to its agriculture section. He believed that an agrarian society ( A country which it prioritizes agriculture) is the way Cambodia can grow. Thus, he implemented a law that requires almost all urban citizens to work in farms, with hopes to drastically boost the agriculture of the country. Furthermore, agriculture was collectivized, meaning all the crops produced needs to be given up to the government, which will then be spread to the population. This leads to numerous problems. First of all, urban citizens are inexperienced with growing crops thus reducing the quality of the crops produced. Second, a collectivized agriculture limits the flow of money within the country, thus income for the people will decrease. Corruption within the government can also further harm the economy. These issues are responsible for Cambodia’s economic decline. It is also one of the major causes for the diseases and starvation that plagued the country during that time, killing lots of the city’s population. 

Below is a picture showing urban citizens forced to work in farms. A guard is seen monitoring their progress. 

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