CCP EXPANDS AND PUSHES LAND REFORM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2011
• Sequence Number: 636
• Publication Date: March 30, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
"1
el ACCIFI(`GTIf1N __._.,._._.._.. ~~~~/~~'?~Y"?~
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
HOW
PUBLISHED
WHERE
PUBLISHED
DATE
' PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE'AGENCY REPOR
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO
China
Economic - Agriculture, land reform
Daily newspapers
Shanghai; Peiping; Hankow
4 - 15 Dec 1950
TNI! OOCO Y[N7 CO MTAIN7 IN /ONYA710M A//tC71Nt TN[ NATIONAL Dt/3N{t
0/ TNt YNITID 6TAT[! NITNIN TM[ Y[A NINY D/ t!/IO NAlI ACT t0
Y. !. 0.. it AND 73. A! AY [MD[D. IT{ riANlYI!lION ON TM[ t[T[1AT10N
O/ ITS CONT{Nri IM ANT YANN[N TO AM VMAUTNO AIi[D /[AlON I! /NO-
NI[li{D [T LAN. N[/{O DVOTION 01 7X11 /DNN It INONI ^IT[0.
DATE OF
INFORMATION 195
DATE DIST. ,3~-Mar 1951
NO. OF PAGES 6
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
CCP EXPANDS AND PUSHBS LAND REFORM
The East China Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese
Communist Party has issued a speed-up order for the land-reform
program in East China because of the special conditions there,
namely, the possibility of a 3Q+IP-U5 invasion. The end of March
1951 is set ss the target date Por co~hpletion of the land-reform
program. More than 176,000 land-reform workers, after receiving
training during the summer, are at work in 2,187 experimental
heiangr. of the.246 hsien of East Chins.
The Sast China Military and Administrative Committee has is-
sued regulations concerning land-reform procedures in the case
of landlords living overseas. In general, these regulations fa-
vor the overseas landlords over local landlords.
The land-reform program Por 1950-51 in Central and South
China Regional District hen been expanded by several hsiens in a
number of provinces. Only three hsien are dealgnated.Por land
reform this winter in Kwangttuig Province. Eight regulations Por
cadres have been promulgated by the Central and South China Re-
gional District government.
In Hupeh Province, a tendency on the pcirttiy of many land-reform
cadres to try to carry out the program peacefully, Failure to
properly arouse the masses, and too much dependence upon middle-
claes Farmers, are alleged ae reasons For securing really good re-
sults in only 20 percent and very bad results in 30 percent of the
areas where land reform is being effected.
The rent-reduction and refund program is being pushed as a pre-
liminary to the inauguration of complete land reform in the North-
west.
coH~iD~Nr~a~
FBI
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
CD~JFIDENT~AL
It is suggested that when land and property distribution has
been successfully carried out one good way of showing thankful-
ness is to install Chairman Mao's picture as a household god re-
placing the old gods who had never gotten the peasants any bene-
fits.
CCP ISSUES SPEED-UP ORDER FOR EAST CHINA -- Shanghai, Ta Kung Fao, 15 Dec 50
The East China Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist
Party has issued a speed-up directive for the land-reform program in the area,
KhfP?and US forces. The land reform must be finished by the end of March 1951
to strengthen the interest of the masses in defending the area against attacks.
REPORTS EAST CHINA LAND REFORM PROGRESS -- Peiping, Jen-min Jih-pao, 12 Dec 50
Shanghai, 9 December (Hain-hua) -- More than 176,000 land-reform promotion
workers in East China were prepared for this work during the summer and early
autumn. The workers include more than 90,000 party and official class workers
of provincial and special administrative levels and peasant association cadres
above the hsiang level. Approximately 80,000 of them were land-reform working
unit cadres in the various local areas, Among these latter were large numbers
of representatives of the various democratic parties and revolutionary youth's
corps intellectuals. By the end of October 1950, these workers had been sent
into all parts of East China to begin work.
Peasants organizations everywhere have been reorganized and their member,
ship increased from over 21 million to 23,890,000.
To hasten the completion of land reform, the area to be affected during
the winter and spring of 1950-51 has been extended from the originally planned.
178 hsien, with 46 million farmers, to 246 hsien with over 63 million farmers.
The land-reform program in this area should be finished by the end of, March
1951. Only a portion of Fukien and the formerly flooded area of North .Anhwei,
having altogether a farm population of 17 million, will be left over till next
year.
During August and September, experimental hsiangs xere selected through-
out the area and by the end of October the land distribution had been completed
in 422 such experimental hsiangs. Using the experience gained in these hsiangs,
the work was extended to surrounding areas. By mid-November the land distribu-
tion had been completed in 1,183 hsiang: and was in progress in 1,0,04 others.'
The work in the various areas is being rapidly linked up into a complete network.
ISSUES LAND-REFORM REGULATIONS FOR OVERSEAS CHINESE -- Shanghai, Ta Kung Pao,
12 Dec 50
The Esat China Military and Administrative Committee acting under a di-
rective of the Government Administration Council on 6 November 1950 issued the
following regulations entitled "A Method of Dealing With Land and Property of
Overseas Chinese in the Land-Reform Program".
1. These regulations are based on Article 24 of the Land-Reform Law of
the Central People's government.
2. Questions of land-reform procedure with regard to real estate and
other property of overseas Chinese shall be handled in accordance with these
regulations. Points not covered in these regulations shall he handled in ac-
cordance with regulations issued by regional military and administrative com-
mittees and provincial governments.
~Y111'~~~~11 ~tl~
1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
...~
~~'~?1~fIR~~~,~~A~
3, These regulations shall apply to the property of all Chinese and
their dependents (blood relatives) who have been overseas engaged in a reg-
ular settled business for more than one year, with the following exceptions:
a. Those who have returned and have been in China more than 3
years before the land-reform prog~.?am took effect.
b. Residents oP Hong Kong and Macao.
c. Students overseas.
d. Tourists, travelers, and investigators overseas.
e. Government officials on duty abroad.
f. War criminals, wicked landlords, and antirevolutionaries taking
refuge abroad.
~+. Large holdings of overseas Chinese and their families in rural areas
which are rented out (including those looked after by relatives) which are suf-
ficient to place them in the landlord class shall be handled as follows:
a. The land and other property of those whose ancestors were land-
lords before going overseas shall be handled according to Article 2 of the Land-
Reform Law, but their buildings, except those regularly occupied by peasants,
shall not be disturbed.
b. Those who were formerly dirt farmers, but have acquired landlord
status since going overseas, shall have their rural land handled as specified
in Article 2 o['the Land-Reform Law. With the exception of buildings provided
for in paragraph "a" above, none of their other property may be disturbed.
5. The rural land and other property of overseas industrialists shall
be handled according to Article 4 of the Land-Reform Law.
6. Small rural holdings of overseas Chinese and their families that are
rented out, shall be handled according to Article 5 oY the Land-Reform Law.
In case an overseas Chinese was a laborer before going abroad, even though
his holding amounts to more than twice the amount allotted to each person
~mder the land-distribution program, the amount of his extra land, even
though rented out, shall not be expropriated,
7. If' an overseas Chinese and his family has sufficient rural buildings
to be rated a wealthy peasant with semilandlord status, apart of his holdings
being rented out and a portion operated by hired labor, while another portion
is operated by the family, the rented land shall be expropriated according to
the provisions of Article 6 oY the Land-Reform Law. In case the land holding
is small, partly self-worked and partly rented out, even though the rented
portion exceeds the self-worked portion~it should be handled. according to Ar-
ticle 6 of these regulations; and the individual should not be regarded as a
wealthy peasant with semilandlord status.
8. Members of the family of an overseas Chinese living in a rural area
who are entirely or nearly landless and without other source: of support,
should be given a portion oY land the same as others. Those who receive re-
mittances from overseas and are unable toy. or not desirous of working land,
may or may not be given a portion of land according to circumstances.
9. Families of proven overseas revolutionary heroes living in rural
areas should receive the regular.treatment prescribed for other families of
heroes.
~QC~~~~~~~~~Ai
.~ _ -=
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 .CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
CDNFIDENTIA~
10. Overseas Chinese and members oP their families living in rural
areas shall be classified on the same basis as others, in accordance with
the rulings oP the Government Administration Council oP the Central People's
government.
11: After these regulations have been approved by the Government Admin-
istration Council and promulgated by the proper Military and Admiaistrative
Committee, they may be applied by the provincial governments having numerous
overeeas.Chinese families. Any variations should be approved by the Military
and Administrative Committee having ~uriadiction before being carried out.
CENTRAL AND SOUPH CHINA LAND-REFORM PROGRAM EXPANDED -- Peiping, Jen-min
Jih-pao, 12 Dec 50
Hankow, (Hein-hue) -- The authorities of the Central and South China Re-
gional District have decided to expand land-reform plane for this winter and
spring from 161 heien to over 18O haien involving 60 million farmers. The
figures by provinces are as follows:
Province
Hsien.
Population
Haien Population
Hupeh
23
7,000,000
41 14,200,000
Kiangai
44
7,000,000
51 9,700,000
Hunan
31
17,000,000
35 19,000,000
Honan
43
In Honan remaining
hsienc have already
completed land re-
f orm.
Kwangat
10
No expansion because
bandit suppression
not completed.
Kwangtung
3
No expansion because
bandit suppression
not completed.
During the summer end autumn, reorganization oP the peasant associations
has resulted in a much more dependable membership. The present membership
throughout the area rune from 20 to 30 percent of the rural population.
In Hupeh, Kiangai, Hunan, and Honan, extensive campaigns of improvement
among the official and party organizations have been carried out by means of
provincial all-circle's conferences and party conferences during which crit-
icism and self -criticism have been stressed.
With ieaderehip and working committees ready and trained on all levels,
the work has been started in the various experimental haiing:. It is. expected
the total program will be completed by the beginning of spring planting season.
CD~FfDEN~~'IAC
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
' ~afeFI~ENTla1
OUTLINES CADRE DISCIPLINE DURING LAND REFORM -- Hankow Hopeh Jih-pao,
10 Dec 50
On 2 December 1950, the Central and South China Military and Adminis-
trative Committee issued a set or regulations entitled "Eight Disciplines
for Cadres During the Land-Reform Period,'! They are ae follows:
1. Execute strictly the laws of the government.
2. Protect adamantly the interests of the people.
3. Deal with recalcitrant landlords according to law.
4. Maintain clear distinctions between us and our enemies ~siJ.
5. Forbid absolutely bli corruption and bribery.
6. Follow carefully the decisions of the peasants' associations.
7. Obey strictly directives from above.
8. Render absolutely accurate reports.
DISCUSSES HUPEH LAND-REFORM PROBLEMS -- Hankow, Hupeh Jih-pao, ~ Dec 50
The distribution of land in Hupeh began in the middle of ftovember 1950.
Reports in December from 100 selected rural areas indicate that 20 percent
have attained excellent results, 50 percent have secured rather poor results,
and 30 percent very bad results.
An analysis reveals that the poor results have arisen largely from the
tendency of cadres to try to bring about the distribution entirely under
peaceful conditions without arousing the people to the consciousness of the
necessity for class struggle. Another factor is too great dependence upon
middle-class peasants.
It cannot be expected that the landlords are going to turn over their
lands freely and peacefully. There has to be a struggle and the people must
be aroused to carry out this struggle. Furthermore, among the people the
main dependence must be placed on the poor farmers and fame laborers; the
middle-class farmers may be brought in as a secondary force.
PUSHES RENT-REDUCTION PROGRAM IN NORTHWEST -- Peiping, Jen-min Jih-pao,
12 Dec 50
Sian, 4 December (Hsin-hua~ -- With the exception of certain areas in
Shensi and Kansu where land reform has already been carried out and certain
racial minority districts, areas involving 100 hsien and 10 million people
will be carrying out the rent-reduction and rent-refund program during the
winter of 19$0 and spring of 1951.
After the proclamation of the Northwest Military and Administrative
Committee in August 1950 to carry out~the land-reform principles of the com-
mon program with due adaptation to the special agricultural conditions in
the Northwest, the provincial suthgrities in Shensi, Kanau, Ningsia, and.
Tsinghai called all-circle's conferences to discuss and pass resolutions,
in accord with the varying conditions, for the implementation of the rent-
reduction program and to set up a progressive program.
~~~~~~ENTIA~
1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4
~~-~~~DENTiAI
Experimental work was carried out in 15 hsien of Shensi during Septem-
ber. By the end of the month, 300,000 people had entered into the rogram.
In four ch'u of one hsien, 19,600 ahih ~ne shih equals 100 liter~of grain
had been recovered from the landlords in rent refunds.
In the Tien-shui Special Administrative District of Kansu the renters
recovered 8,500 shih. In these areas the power of the landlords is being
greatly shaken and that of the people strengthened.
OUTLIl~S STEPS IN CARRYING OUT LAND REFORM -- Hankow, Ch'sng-Chiang Jih-pao,
8 Dec 50
Some land-reform cadres have secured poor results because they have set
up too rigid a timetable -- so many days to explain the policy, so many days
to delineate the classes, and so many days for expropriation and distribu-
tion of the landlords' property. This method results in losing contact with
the masses and the masses lose interest.
The proper steps to take in land reform are:
1. Organize the masses. Failure here will make it impossible to break
the power of the landlords. This organization involves private investigation
by the cadres, and mass investigation in people's mass meetings, oP the status
of the landlords in their past treatment of the people and their present at-
titudes toward the land-reform program, also of the dependability of the cadres
and the leaders of the agricultural associations. For the best results, the
decisions of the cadres reached ae the result oP their individual investigations
and the decisions of the mesa meetings should, generally speaking, be in substan-
tial agreement.
2. Classification of the landowners. This, too; involves struggle and
requires the cooperation oP the masses because landlords and wealthy farmers
will endeavor to conceal as much of their assets as possible to secure a lower
classification. Such activities are difficult to conceal from their neighbors
who know their habits over the years.
3. Confiscation, expropriation, and distribution of the land and goods.
This step should be carried out as soon as the second step has been completed.
This involves a struggle also, for the landlords will not gladly surrender
their lands, deeds, and property. It will require the united pressure of
cadres and masses to accomplish it. In the distribution of the confiscated
property, careful organization and strict probity are necessary.
When the program has been completed, the people should be led in a suit-
able celebration of their success in an organized manner that they may properly
express their thanks. In some areas, this has taken the form oP throwing out
the old gods who had never heard their prayers and installing Chairman Mao Tse-
tung ae family god since he had brought such wonderful material blessing to the
home.
~D~~~~DE~~~'iAl.
1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 CIA-RDP80-00809A000600380636-4