What is the difference between light industry and heavy industry? At present, there is not yet a rigorous, unified concept of light industry in the international arena. In China, light industry is the production of means of subsistence as the main processing industry group of the general term, is a major classification in the structure of manufacturing industry, it is the product of sectoral economic classification and management. In Japan, light industry is considered to be a manufacturing industry. When manufacturing industries are categorized according to the use of goods, no less than 75% of the products are used in households as consumer goods industries, and no less than 75% of the products are supplied to enterprises as production goods industries. The consumer goods industries are represented by the food industry, the clothing industry, and the furniture industry. The means of production industries are represented by the metallurgical, mechanical and chemical industries. In this sense, light industry is a kind of consumer goods industry.
The United States also believes that the difference between light industry and heavy industry lies in whether it is engaged in the production of consumer goods, not in the type of machines or factories used, such as the textile industry, household appliances industry and food industry.
In the former Soviet Union, light industry is the textile industry, sewing industry, leather industry and glass industry, etc. General term.
Marxism believes that the total product of society can be divided into two main categories according to its end use: the first category is the means of production, and the second is the means of subsistence. Light industry is compared with heavy industry, and the division of light and heavy industry is based on product use. What is the difference between light industry and heavy industry? In short, heavy industry: industry that provides the main means of production for all sectors of the national economy with a material and technological basis. Light industry: industries that mainly provide consumer goods and make hand tools.