Which leader ordered more land clearing in the Loess Plateau?

• A. Deng Xiaoping
• B. Mao Zedong
• C. Sun Yat-sen
• D. Chiang Kai-shek

Answer: (B)

The question tests how political leadership can drive big changes in land use, especially in a vulnerable area like the Loess Plateau. This region’s soils are highly susceptible to erosion, so vegetation cover is crucial for protection. Under Mao Zedong, the Great Leap Forward pushed rapid increases in agricultural production and large-scale land reclamation, leading to widespread clearing of vegetation to make more land available for farming. That massive land-clearing effort reduced the area’s natural protection, making the soil far more prone to erosion during rains and contributing to the severe soil-loss problems the Loess Plateau experienced. Later leaders like Deng Xiaoping focused more on economic reforms with environmental considerations, but the extensive land clearing associated with Mao’s campaigns is the historical driver here. So Mao Zedong is the leader most closely linked to ordering more land clearing in the Loess Plateau.