Magang Constitution

The Magang Constitution^[2] (simplified Chinese: 马钢宪法; traditional Chinese: 馬鋼憲法; pinyin: Mǎ gāng xiànfǎ), also known as the Ma'anshan Constitution or Ma-steel Constitution,^[3] was a set of enterprise management system that was gradually formed in the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s after decades of socialist industrial construction and development^[4] and adopted in China. Nowadays, it has been abandoned.

Magang Constitution

Chinese	马钢宪法[1]
Implied meaning	enterprise management system originating in the Soviet Union

It is a complete set of rules and regulations for factory management, even rising to the height of the law.^[5] Like the Angang Constitution developed in response to it in China, the Magang Constitution is not a constitution in the true sense of the term.^[6]

Development and influence

The Magang Constitution was a complete set of factory management practices implemented by the socialist enterprises represented by Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, the largest steel complex in the Soviet Union.^[7] It was based on "experts governing the factories", meaning the affirmation of experts and authority.^[8] This set of corporate management system was born in the Stalin-era.^[2] The name "Magang Constitution" comes not from the Soviets, but by the Chinese.^[9] The Magang Constitution was implemented at various factories in China, including at the Anshan Iron and Steel Works.^[10]

The Angang Constitution developed in opposition to its principles, and was promoted by Mao Zedong.^[11] During the 1980s in China, the model of the Magang Constitution reappeared in the reform literature.^[12]

Main content

Magang Constitution was actually developed from the Taylor System and the Ford System.^[13] The main content of the Magang Constitution included the implementation of the "one director system" (一长制),^[14] "material stimulation" (物质刺激), "experts governing the factories" (专家治厂), and "placing technology in command" (技术挂帅).^[15] Under the model of the Magang Constitution, experts controlled production and the factory director exercised strict control.^[16]

See also

• Angang Constitution
• Ford System
• Taylor System