REINVESTIGATION OF LAND REFORM IN KWANGTUNG PROVINCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110263-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 15, 2011
• Sequence Number: 263
• Publication Date: May 26, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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COUNTRY China
'-SUBJECT Economic - Agriculture, land reform
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspaper
WHERE
PUBLISHED Canton
DATE
PUBLISHED 6 - 13 Dec 1952
LANGUAGE Chinese
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CLASSIFICATION RESTRICTED
SECURITY INFORMATION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
REPORT
CD NO.
DATE OF
DATE DIST. 94 May 1953
NO. OF PAGES 13
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REINVESTIGATION OF LARD REFORM IN KWANGTUNG PROVINCE
fummary: This report gives the instructions for the reinvesti-
gation phase of the land-reform program in Kwangtung Province that
were issued by the Propaganda Department, South China Branch Bureau
of the Central Committee, Chinese Communist Party. The instructions
were published in a series of articles in the Canton Nan-fang Jib-
pan 6 - 13 December 1952.
Reinvestigation is said to be necessary because former landlords
still have some influence and there are certain inequities in the
classification of the peasants and in the distribution of the land
that must be rectified.
The instructions outline the steps for proper redistribution
of the land and other property, methods of controlling the land-
lords and methods of strengthening the hard core of rural leader-
ship
In view of the approaching completion of the land-reform program in Kwang-
tung Province, and in view of the fact that full-scale promotion of the agri-
cultural production drive cannot be begun until reinvestigation has been car-
ried out, the Propaganda Department, South China Branch Bureau of the Central)
Committee, Chinese Communist Party, has issued the following instructions on
the purpose and the procedures of the reinvestigation activities.'
A. Necessity of Reinvestigation
Production cannot be undertaken in new land-reform areas until reinvestir
gation has been carried out, for the following reasons:
1. Although the landlords have been dispossessed of their holdings, they
still have a certain amount-of lingering political influence and many of than
still actively endeavor to reassert themselves, either openly or clandestinely.
STAT
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2. Because of the brevity of time that elapsed during the implementation
of the land reform, the masses have not been sufficiently indoctrinated politi-
cally. Their sense of proprietorship and class homogeneity has not been suf-
ficiently aroused. They are inexperienced in controlling the landlord class and
a minority are even ready to retreat.
3. There are still unsettled problems, such as incomplete distribution
of land and movable property, which have resulted in poor and hired peasants
having insufficient resources for production. There are also mistaken classi-
fications of peasants, and boarders have not been wholly disposed of.
4. The problems of the people's livelihood have not been solved. Final
adjustments of land distribution have not been made. Some people have received
too little land, some landlords have been allowed too much land or land of too
good quality, and some landlords have even been left too little land. Land.
titles have not yet. been issued ana peasants are still too ignorant of the fu-
ture agricultural program.
While the extent and nature of these problems vary from section to section,
if they are not settled by reinvestigation, the stability of the whole land-re-
form program may be jeopardized.
Care must be taken to deal with the most important questions first. These
questions will vary with the differing situations in various areas.
B. Responsibility for Reinvestigation
In the original land-reform activity, dependence was placed on the uni-
fied action of the poor and hired peasants and the cadres of the agricultural
associations. Through this coordinated action victory was achieved over the
landlord class.
In the reinvestigation program, reliance can be placed on the agricultural
association cadres, the activists, and the so-called "root members" of the com-
munities to carry out the program as representatives of the poor and hired peas-
ants (especially in the first- and second-class hsiangs). Here it will not be
necessary to rearouse the masses. In some third-class hsiangs where the per-
centage of poor and hired peasants in the total population is small it may be
well to rearouse the masses in carrying out the reinvestigation program.
Most of the rural cadres have gone through a process of selective elimina-
tion, have dependable backgrounds, stable opinions, and have proved themselves
active workers. They and the activists developed during the land-reform cam-
paign can be depended upon to carry out the reinvestigation successfully. If
any prove unreliable they can be changed during the campaign. Some cadres are
timid, fearing to offend people; some feel cadre work takes too much of their
time and is too much trouble. Others feel that they have already done enough
and want to retire. All of these attitudes are wrong. The reforms thus far
carried out are only a beginning. The people must continue to have leadership
in production. The various temporary vexations that fall to the lot of cadres
are only stepping stones to greater glory for those who persevere as servants of
the people. The suggestions and criticism of the masses should he regarded by
the cadres as useful for their development and an evidence of regard.
Cadres, at present, may be divided into four classes:
1. Those who are lholly reliable and progressive, who merit and receive
the people'c full confidence.
2. Those who are good, but not entirely progressive, who are not fully
democratic, not activists, have insufficient regard for the new position of
women, and are not helpful to backward peasants,
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STAT
RESTRICTED
3. The third class includes men who are essentially good workers, basically
honest, and who have made good reputations in the fight against the landlords,
but who have become involved in doubtful practices, such as receiving too much
movable property or grain in the distribution, mistreating women, or sheltering
enemies of the people.
are de initely bad characters, camouflaged landlords, or age'
of landlords who deliberately engage in bad practices, such as demanding more
than their share of property in the distribution, oppression of the people, em-
bezzlement of public funds, etc.
The first three of i,hese classes should be dealt with by democratic meth-
ods designed to help them improve their weak points. Only when such efforts
seem to be fruitless should they he removed from office. In the case of the
fourth class, definite action should be taken to remove and punish them ac-
cording to law.
Cadres should put away their misgivings and throw themselves heartily into
the task of reinvestigation so that the agricultural production program may pro-
gress rapidly everywhere.
C. Targets of the Struggle
Is struggle necessary in the reinvestigation program, and, if so, against
whom? In the reinvestigation program it will be necessary to make certain dis-
tinctions among the families of the landlord class. Landlord families should
be placed in three categories, law-abiding, semi-law-abiding, and anti-law-
abiding. How is this classification determined?
- 1. Is the landlord's political submission and confession of crimes suf-
ficiently thoroughgoing to satisfy the people?
2. Have his lands and movable property (including grain) been confiscated
as completely as they should be?
3. Has he ceased from all illegal opposition and has he primptly complied
with all requirements made of him?
4. Is he willing to reform himself by labor and engage in production?
The way in which these four questions are answered will d-ermine into
which of the three categories named above the landlords should be placed.
Those who are anti-law-abiding should be dealt with severely.
In most cases the largest number of landlords will be found in the second
category. Those in the first. category can he dismissed from consideration.
Of the other two categories the anti-law-abiding (usually about 20 percent of
the landlord class) should be dealt with first. When they have been beaten
down, the semi-law-abiding class will quickly fall into line, since they have
usually been under the influence of the anti-law-abiding class. Another group
to be dealt with is those who have fled, If possible they should be arrested
and brought back. It may be necessary to arouse the masses to search for toe
who are hiding in neighboring hstens or who are masqu,rading under some other
name. It is certain there are many of these and they must. be apprehended and
those among them who are guilty of gross crimes appropriately punished before
the people's minds will be at rest,
D. Elimination of Landlord. Influence
It is important, during the reinvestigation, to eliminate any remaining
vestiges of the former fear-inspired respect which the masses manifested for
the landlord class. Those who still refuse to give up property, attack cadres,
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stir up religious feuds, interfere with production, secretly stir up strife
while appearing orderly in public, steal, resist control, refrain from labor,
threaten people and predict a change of administration ...~
_.
6unnr.ae..~ zt- be i.iloi'ougnly
The reinvestigation period allows for a more leisurely and detailed ex-
posure of the crimes of the landlords than was possible in the heat of the
first intense struggle when the people were preoccupied with all the problems
of distribting land and movable property. During this time, a strong politi-
cal campaign may be waged against the landlords. The people may be aroused
to make a close search for concealed. weapons among them. In such campaigns
political indoctrination of the masses should never be lost sight of. Accusa-
tion meetings may clarify the thinking of the masses in regard to who are
their real enemies. In all conferences, peasants with any unresolve,' doubts
should be encouraged to ts..lk them out. Free discussion of any type that the
people desire should be encouraged to enable them to educate themselves. Those
who fear to express themselves in a large gathering should be given a chance
to talk in a small group in order that all the crimes of the landlords may be
revealed and the people's =elf-education advanced, at the same time completely
overcoming the political influence of the landlords.
During the reinvestigation, the collecting of surplus grain must be done
according to the merits of the case. No further contributions should be de-
manded from those who have already paid in full, from those who have paid more
than the equivalent of a year's rent as was originally demanded, or from small
landlords who have not paid in full. Great and medium landlords from whom sore
than a year's rent in grain was originally demanded should be required to pay
only the equivalent of a year's rent. Those who are unable to pay may be par-
tially or completely exempted. The great landlords who resist shall be com-
pelled to pay in full,
E. Full Activation of the Masses
One of the principal purposes of the reinvestigation is the complete ac-
tivation of the masses. In the heat of the land-reform campaign there was not
an opportunity to fully arouse the masses, hence the landlord class was not en-
tirely subjugated. The fact that there is a "backward stratum" among the people
is evidence that they were not sufficiently activated the first time, This
"backward stratum" is made up of middle, poor, and hired peasants, old people
and women, and old basic cadres. Members of this "backward stratum" may be
found individually and in groups and their presence has contributed to dimin-
ishing the power of the masses to struggle. During the reinvesti.gation period
all workers must be fully aroused.
Several factors are involved in accomplishing this.
1. Progressives should enlist the support of the nonprogressives, When
the reinvestigation campaign begins, investigation of the enemy can be utilized
to investigate one's own forces -- the : strength, the efficiency of their or-
ganization, the degree of their consciousness. To overcome the self-sa'isfac-
tion of the progressives, set them to work among the backward masses to study
their ideas and demands and to call upon them to rise and join the struggle.
When this is done the enemies will be discovered and overthrown by the organized
will of the masses. While fighting the enemy the awareness of the masses can
be heightened and greater unity achieved.
2. In the reinvestigation, special attention should be paid to the middle-
class peasants for they are an indispensable factor in the ranks of the peas-
ants. Where mistakes have been made in previous classification, apologies,
adjustments, and financial amends should be made. In the future, no encroach-
ments should be made upon either the property or the political privileges
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?LL -uu wo cne agricultural
associations and to the village governments in order to encourage +hcc to gage enthi isetica~ `"'
-le in Ntinductlon activity.
3. Special attention should be paid, in the reinvestigation, to the
and political position of women. Women in Kwangtung are accustomed to outside
work, but have suffered much oppression. Much stress should be laid on wide
dissemination of the knowledge of the marriage law and elimination of feudal-
istic attitudes. Women should be aroused to struggle against the landlords
and declare the abuse that women have suffered at their hands. At an opportune
time husbands and wives should be led to engage in criticism and self-criticism
to eliminate causes of domestic infelicity. They should recognize that domestic
strife is a by-product of the feudal system and that they cannot present a
united front against feudalism outside the home while maintaining feudalistic
practices within the home. They must accept the fact that in the new demo-
cratic society men and women are on the same level. A few representative
cases of violation of women's rights should be tried by the authorities in
each hslang to educate the people and to encourage the women to assert them-
selves and take their rightful place in the peasant ranks.
4. With regard to those who have somewhat shady records, they should be
educated and led to review their past, recognize their errors, and then be ac-
cepted into the agricultural associations. They should never be treated with
coldness or contempt. Even the old people who tend to accept new ideas slowly
should be helped by education to feel that they car have a part in the new
society. They should never be treated as useless deadwood,
5. Nonagricultural workers in the rural areas, especially small crafts-
men, should be made to feel they are a part of the community. They should
never be treated with discrimination or disrespect. If all the above classes
can be unified and their consciousness heightened it will be posbible to lead
the mass of the people to win ii_ the struggle against the common enemies of the
people.
F. Adjustment of Faulty Classification
Because of the shortness of time and the haste with which the land reform.
was carried out many errors in classification occurred. Many were classified
too high and many who should not have been were classified as enemies. In the
reinvestigation these errors must all be corrected.
Two main errors committed in classification were; (1) too few were clas-
sified as poor and hired peasants and too many as nonagricultural workers; (2)
too many were classified as landlords and enemies. For example, wealthy peas-
ants renting out small amounts of land. and even some specially situated middle-
class peasants were classified as landlords,
How shall these mistakes he corrected? First, it should be done accord-
ing to the principle of "generosity toward insider,, severity toward outsiders."
What is the meaning of "generosity toward insiders?" This means that first
consideration is always given to those within the peasant classes. In all
borderline cases, for instance, where a family might be classed either as m!.d-
die-class or poor peasant, or as wealthy or middle-class peasant, the lower
classification should be given. If the choice is between classification as
poor fnonpeasang citizen or poor peasant, the latter classification should
be given. Special care should be taken not to upgrade middle-class peasants.
Wherever middle-class peasants have been wrongfully accused and misjudged,
apologies and pecuniary remuneration for losses must be made.
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e
p assns awe reached
agreement Con reclassification] call a meeting of the middle-class peasants
and lead them to state their grievances freely and to express their demand for
rectification voluntarily. After this, call a general meeting of the peasants
.for review and confirmation of the classifications agreed upon.
Those who have been wrongfully classified as landlords should be politically
cleared of the landlord stigma and economically reimbursed for losses wrong-
fully sustained, but such restoration does not necessarily mean that the actual
property lost will be restored. Only by proper rectification of classification
errors can the enemy class be properly isolated and the fighting strength and
power be properly coordinated,
Second, no nonagricultural workers or any with shady records LIthose who
have' unwittingly been involved in reactionary practices/ may be classified
too high and, above all, none of them may be classified as enemies. When
nonagricultural workers have been classified as poor or hired peasants no
change can be made unless a two-thirds majority of the peasenta vote for it.
They must be cordially accepted in the peasant group. Remuneration and apolo-
gies must be made to those who have been wrongfully accused and misjudged.
What is meant by "severity toward outsiders?" Severity is to be ex-
ercised toward the landlord class and toward those who have heretofore es-
caped such classification (however, the number of such is actually not
large). In case it is desired to change the classification of any from
landlord to peasant the matter must be discussed by the masses and investi-
gated and approved by the rh'u agricultural association, All who escaped
landlord classification before should. be reclassified.
The standard of classification is based on the amount of production
materials (land, work animals, buildings, and implements) owned or used,
Those who rent out a small amount of land by reason of their profession
(such as physicians, teachers, officials, or professional bandit-chasers),
whose families at home are small and lack agricultural manpower, and whose
standard of living is not above that of the middle-class peasants, if they
have been classified as landlords, should be reclassified as lessors of
small tracts. All impoverished persons who rent out land, but who cannot
be classified as small proprietors, should be classified as 'poor peasants.
Those in charge of ancestral shrine grounds, who collect rent, should be
classified according to the size of the operation; large operators may be
classified as landlords, others should be given other classifications.
The percentage of those classified as landlords in any community should
not exceed 5 percent (4 percent in mountain areas), If the percentage runs
over this figure there should be reinvestigation with a view to reducing it.
Certain Kuomintang civil and military officials may have been wrongly clas-
sifies' -.a landlords merely on the basis of their former connections. Reclas-
sifica'cion may be advisable in some of these cases. Former minor officials
of the Kuomintang, such as pao-Chang and chia-Chang, may be given considera-
tion on the basis of the statue of their families.. If their families include
workers, they may also be allotted land and be urged to reform through labor.
The first step in rectification of faulty classification is to call a
meeting of the poor and hired peasants and pass a resolution on the subject,
thus making the demand for rectification of faulty classification the spon-
taneous demand of the peasants. At the same time, use the opportunity to
give instruction on reclassification. Make it clear that the fewer people
classified as enemies and the more classified as belonging to their own class
the better. Next, carefully investigate the wrongly classified families and
seek to remove their worries. After the poor and hired
t h
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G. Proper Land Distr1bnrim.
Since the land is t..he + aeant.s' mainstay the distribution made in con-
nection with reinvestigation must be entirely correct. During the original
distribution, errors were committed and sciy poor and hired peasants, nonpeas-
ant workers, orphans, and widcws were dissatisfied with the results. In some
cases, adjustments designed to add to their land have resulted in some tsraot
middle-class-farmers simply taking over all good land in exchange for poor
land. The reason for such a situation is that in the original distribution
too much attention was paid to labor force only and too little to the actual
number of people in families or specially impoverished conditions.
While land distribution 1 primarily based on labor potentiality, special
hardship cases among peasants or nonpeasant worker., should by no means be dis-
regarded. The distribution tinier reinvestigation is not n new distribution but
a readjustment with a view to sxtiefying the wishes, of the pour and hired peas-
ants as far as possible, Landlords should be allowed no surpluses, especially
surpluses of good land; all Such surpluses must be transferred to the poor and
hired peasants. Newcomers in an area, families with uncommon surnames, pear-
ants whose past has not been irpeocab]y clear, craftsmen, small merchants, and
self-employed workers should never be denied their full allotment of land or
be given wholly poor lard.
The allotments of the nonpeasant members of these groups should be deter-
mined in relation to the amount of their income from nonagricultural Sources.
Orphans and widows should have their rrope.r allotmen',s and any discrepancies
must be corrected. Middle-class tenant farmers should be apportioned an amount
of the land they are now renting equivalent to the amount of land apportioned
to new agricultural families, Proper adjustments should be made to insure equzl-
iz-tion as to the quality of the land and any discrepancies in this respect
should be rectified.
The basic principle in land distribution is to satisfy first, the needs of
the poor and hired peasants, second the tenant farmers among the middle-clans
peasants, and third the nonagricultural workers Cadres and activists may not
seek extra land or better land than others, Reinveetigators should first famil-
iarize themselves with the: extent of the expanding ferment among the poor and
hired peasants. Then they should call a m;sting of the cell leaders or a full
meeting of the peasants and heneet'_y discuss and debate, with no restriction
on full expression of opinions, until fully democratic decisions are reached.
Only a reasonable and just rest_ficatlon of the land distribution can insure
the interest and enthusiasm of the masses for high production.
H. Complete Distribution of Conf aceted Fr:merty
A considerable amount of tonfisc.ated prep.rty, Such as hill groves, offi-
cially controlled fields /Isni, held in reserve for possible use for railways,
highways, etc_7, fish ponds, orchard;, work rattle, and implements still re-
main undlatributed. All these should he distributed immediately so that there
may be no deterioration, that they may be productively used, and so that th,t
needs of the poor and hired peasants may be cared for,
Many cadres feel that u,:h things as hill grcves, fish ponds, buildings,
and orchards are hare to distribute equitably, hence, in their opinion, it
would be better to operate them and-- control of commercial cooperatives. This
is fallacious reasoning. Cooperatives cannot carry on such enterprises. If
cadres will use a little ingenuity, no matter how large a grove or fish pond,
it can be equitably dividei. The peasants living near such property are de-
pendent on it for their livelihood and the sooner such property iG properly
distributed the better for the peasant, economy,
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The way to distribute hill and mountain areas is to divide the land it-
self into parcels the same as level land, then compute the value of the pine
or bamboo, as the case may be, in cash, then convert the cash value into terms
of grain, and convert that into terms of production., To establish a norm of
production, consider such factors as distance, cost of transportation, planting
season, etc. After a production norm has been established, the production value
of this property may be added to the production value of surrounding field land
and divided in the same way. After production norms have been established for
such properties as orchards and fish ponds the farmers should be encouraged to
operate them as mutual aid cooperative enterprises rather than giving two trees
to one person and two trees to another which would result in no advantage to
the farmers and would damage national production possibilities.
I. Pending Court Cases
There is a multitude of pending cases piled up on the court dockets every-
where which must be speedily dealt with and those innocent of real evil released
to engage in production; the guilty should be convicted and punished quickly.
Only thus can a clear distinction be drawn between real enemies and usefulfrienis
of the people. There are three main reasons for this great accumulation of un-
settled cases.
1. Recalcitrant landlords have made many false accusations against people
and self-satisfied cadres have blindly believed these accusations and arrested
a great many good peasants as special agents, bandits, membrre of underground
forces, etc.
2. Many former Kuomintang soldiers, men who had been forced into a short
period of military service for the Kuomintang, but who were quiet and orderly
after liberation, were all lumped together as malefactors.
3. Many local officials under the Kuomintang, including those who were
forced to act as couriers for the Kuomintang forces, have been dealt with as
though they were intractable exponents of the old regime.
According to our policy, all such cases should be reviewed quickly and
dealt with strictly on their merits, The purpose of this clearing of the dock-
ets is to establish clearly the line of demarcation between die-hard counter-
revolutionaries and decent citizens and to destroy once and for all counter-
revolutionary organizations, In addition to those in custody, all real counter-
revolutionaries at large should be speedily apprehended and their cases dis-
posed of. At the same time, all those who are wrongfully in custody, or under
control surveillance, should be released from such custody or control and their
good reputations restored to them by public acknowledgement of their innocence.
In this work the national policy must be strictly followed and the cases dealt
with in accord with the wishes cf the masses after the latter have been made
thoroughly aware of the correctpoli-:y. Thus real enemies of the people can
quickly be eliminated and innocent victims of false accusations or poor manage-
ment be restored to s. useful productive position in society,
J. Investigation, and Issuing of Land Titles
Land t.it?len are evidence to the peasants that the land which has been wrested
from the landlords under the leadership of the Chines?a Communist Party is now
really theirs, Before issuing the titles it is necessary to reinvestigate the
present land situation to make sure that landlords have no hidden holdings and
that all other inequities are rectified. At the same time, production norms
should be established. Patriotic education should accompany this program to
insure the interest of tL:- people in increased production.
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The first step in the investigation of the land situation is to allay the
fears of the peasants that a true grading of their land will result in raising
their peasant classification or increasing their grain tax, They must be led
voluntarily to make an honest declaration of the true amount and productive ca-
pacity of their land; to help others to do likewise; and to seek verification
of the facts and avoid individual prejudices.
The following criteria should be employed in measuring the land and de-
termining production norms;
1. The land unit shall be the shih mou cne shih mou equals 0.1647 are
The shih mou contains 60 square shih chang one shih chang equals 3 1/3 ueter~.
2, Production capacity will be based on the average annual production fbr
normal seasons.
3. Production norms shall be set for all land, whether level or mountain-
ous, that produces any type of agricultural product.
4. Production of such crops as tea, jute, tobacco, and cane shall be con-
verted into terms of grain to determine production norms.
In measuring the land a 3 1/3 meter chain should be used and this should
provide a very accurate result. In mountainous areas where actual measuring
is difficult the owner may be permitted to declare the amount of his land and
the surveyors may determine upon an arbitrary figure.
In determining production amounts the first thing is to determine the grade
of the land as indicated by the amount of ordinary production on the hsianglevel,
Then the ch'u authorities should assemble the hsiang reports and establish a
set of general classifications to cover the ch'u and set up a land register.
This register should then be referred to the hsien authorities who will determine
the production norm for each of the classifications.
After the surveying and the determination of production norms have been com-
pleted the old land deeds should be burned, Thereafter the land will be again
in the hands of its rightful owners, the peasants. Assemblies to celebrate this
climax should be held in all hsianga. At such celebrations comparisons can be
drawn of conditions under the Kuomintang and the new conditions under the Chinese
Communist Party. The people may then be called upon to show their patriotism
by increased production.
To assure protection of the rights and property which the people have ac-
quired and to promote their zeal in production, it will be necessary at the tame
the land titles are issued to engage in propaganda designed to insure protection
of what the people have secured, to implement the principle of every worker reap-
ing the fruits of his own labors, including the landlords who engage in produc-
tive labor. There may be no more confiscation of what landlords produce. Every-
one has the right of unrt-e-ricted private borrowing and loaning and the unre-
stricted right to hire labor (except that able-bodied landlords may not hire
labor). The propaganda should make clear that work animals may not be slsughtirei
at will, hill forests should be protected and afforestation encouraged, as well
as production of such supplementary crops as tea, sugar cane, tobacco, and hemp.
Expansion of the mutual aid teaws and consumer cooperatives, together with ap-
propriate recognition for model workers and better cultivation methods, should
all be included in the propaganda m6.terlal.
K. Control of Landlords
Although the land-reform program has basically overthrown the feudalistic
system, there are still some landlords who are loath to give up the positions
of paver they held in the pet, These are still thinking of a comeback. HwEvE-_,
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the masses will never permit this. Our method of landlord control is dis-
criminating. It is applied only to important leaders among them. And even
these are not watched day and night, or beaten and reviled, or subjected to
surprise night searches of their premises. The chief matters in which con-
trol is exercised are their political and labor activities. Militia may be
assigned by the cadres of the agricultural association or the hsiang magis-
trate to maintain an open surveillance of the leaders to insist that they
obey the law and engage in productive labor. In addition, there will be ob-
servation by the people's representatives, and meetings to*review deve:.opmerts
'n ouc puiitrcal and labor activities of the landlords. The rules laid down
by the Central-South China People's Government f no date given7 for control
of landlords should be observed. They are as follows:
1. All those classed as landlords should be deprived of political priv-
ileges for a stipulated period.
2. Members of landlords families who have not been classified ac land-
lords, students in school, and ch.ldren under 18 years of age, should not be
treated as landlords, but lawless ones among them should be dealt with by low.
3. Besides the landlords who are being dealt with by the courts as crJm-
inals, the following classes of landlords shall be placed under control: a.
Those who after the land reform manifest a spirit of resistance or seek to re-
cover their old status. b. Those who do not engage in agricultural or other
lawful enterprises, but -spend their time in idleness and questionable amuse-
ments. C. Those who are vicious or engage in counterrevolutionary activities.
d. Those legally sentenced by high authorities or courts to be controlled by
the masses.
4. Those mentioned above as subject to control need not all receive tine
same treatment. Some will not be permitted to receive guests or move far f:roin
home during a stipulated period. Others may be required to make periodic re-
ports to the agricultural association on their production activities. Those
who are lazy should be compelled to work. With the approval of government au-
thorities above the hsien level some may be sent to other hsiens or provinces
to be reformed through labor by the local authorities in those places.
5. Upon the motion of the peasants, after discussion by the hsiang peo-
ple's representative conference, and with the approval of the bsien authorities,
those landlords under control who have been law abiding and active in reforn
through labor may be released from control or have the control period short-
ened as conditions may warrant. Those who conduct themselves in an opposite
manner may have the control period lengthened or be subjected to other punish-
ments.
6. Landlords who are well able to perform farm labor and who have no
other occupation must reform themselves through farm labor. They may not neg-
lect the cultivation of the land allotted to them, neither sell it, nor mort-
gage it, nor rent it out.
7. Those landlords who are really unable to perform farm labor may be
permitted, after discussion by the agricultural association, to hire labor,
or to rent out all or a portion of their land on the basis of the reduced rent
policy.
8. A landlord who belongs,to the intelligentsia, or who has some other
skill may not be compelled to perform farm labor, but the hsiang authorities
must be informed of the place where he pursues his occupation.
STAT
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9. A landlord who has turned over all the property required of him by
the land-reform law, and who has recompensed the peasants for losses sustained
at his hands, shall be permitted to employ any surplus resources he may still
have in agricultural, industrial, or commercial enterprises at his own dis-
cretion with no questions asked. He shall be protected in the full possession
of all income from such sources.'
10. Landlords who during a period of 5 years completely obey the law and
actively engage in productive enterprise, may be granted a change of status
on the motion of the hsiang people's representative assembly and with the
approval of the bsien authorities, but not otherwise,
11. Control of landlords shall be under the joint supervision of the
hsiang authorities and the hsiang agricultural association with actual oper-
ations in the hands of the Public Security Committee and the people's militia
forces.
L. Strengthening the Leadership Core
To build a hard core of rural leadership it is necessary to strengthen
and raise the quality of the leadership network based on the interaction of
the peasant leaders, basic cadres, the party, the New Democracy Youth Corps,
and the local officials in the political indoctrination and propaganda pro-
grams directed toward the masses.
Peasant leadership and basic cadre quality shall be elevated and developed
by the following methods!
1. Leaders should be selected from and elected by the masses. The work-
ing cadres should never think those whom they have selected better than others,
nor should they assume superior knowledge to indicate who would make good or
poor leaders.
2. Working cadres sent in from outside? should avoid all tendencies to-
ward monopolization or authoritarianism and, placing the responsibility in the
hands of the local cadres, should work alongside them as advisers, instructors,
and evaluators, thus steadily increasing the skill of the local cadres.
3. Working cadres should teach the local cadres that they are entering
a career of long-range service to the masses, that such service offers politi-
cal prestige, but that they should never try to carry on independently of the
counsel and guidance of the masses.
h Establish the system of democratic selection of local cadres, super-
vision of the local cadres, and the system of criticism and self-criticism
among the cadres themselves
The party organization should be set up in the rural areas in order to
strengthen party leadership and establish the rural front, and the alliance
of the industrial and rural workers, The party must lead out and direct the
movement it the rural areas so that the peasant masses shall never get off the
path in either revolutionary struggle or routine work,
After the reinvestigation the party will lead the peasants through the
various step; t.owerd agricultural collectivization. In a word, the party is
the headquarters for the organization and leadership of the peasant masses.
After having received training in party organization and recruiting methods
in training courses, when rural activists return home they should aid party
members in the organization of party subbranches in order that members may re-
ceive continuous indoctrination and maintain the status of true pioneers.
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The New Democracy Youth Corps constitutes a reserve corps for the party,
Progressive peasant youth organized in the youth corps can be prepared to unite
with the masses and lead out in many phases of activity. Hence it is desirable
to enlist as many rural youth as possible and pass those who manifest a high
degree of class consciousness into the party as fast as they have been given
thorough discipline in preparation to become strong cadres in the socialistic
reconstruction of the rural areas.
How shall we build up political power in the rural areas? To reduce the
complexity of the rural organization and to eliminate the many meetings that
Interfere with production, it is necessary to observe four principles.
1. Unify leadership and simplify organization; have a joint committee
for both the hsiang government and the agricultural association, one hsiang
magistrate, one agricultural association chairman, and a people's representa-
tive conference, with a fixed delegate system based on the peasants' repre-
sentative conference. The hsiang committee may consist of 5, 7, 9, or 11
persons according to size of the hsiang,. Various committeemen may be charged
with responsibility for various phases of regular operations.
2. Establish democratic procedures. The representative conferences shaijl
meet once a month to consider and rule upon important matters. The Zh-siang7
committee should meet weekly or every 10 days to plan for carrying out direc-
tives from higher authorities and the actions of the representative conference.
The representative conference should expand the practice of democracy, receive
delegates' criticisms and carry out self-criticism,
3. P.Ftablish the system of officer-of-the-day committee consultations.
The chairman and vice-chairman of the agricultural association, the hsiang and
deputy hsiang magistrate should alternate az officers of the day, remaining at
the Lsian 7 office, regardless of whether or not any business comes up. Im-
portant matters may be decided by the hsiang magistrate and the chairman of the
hsiang agricultural association in consultation. The committeemen should hold
collective consultations every few days,
4. The number of mass meetings and hsiang representative conferences should
be held to a minimum in the interest of conserving the people's strength Any
meetings aside from the regular meetings of the people's representative confererce
must hisve prior approval of the ch'u authorities.
In addition to party and youth corps, rural propaganda and education net-
works should be established. The propaganda network is a most important organ
for unifying the people and the party. All the policies, objectives, and tasks
of the party and all the suggestions and demands of the peasants can be trans-
mitted through this network of propaganda workers. Reports of the activities
of model peasants can be circulated. in this way for emulation by others. Thus,
the class consciousness and production interest of the peasants can be height-
ened, and, the unity of the party, the youth corps, and the broad masses promoted.
Hence, the establishment or the improvement of the propaganda network is an in-
tegral part of the reinvestigation program.
What is the nroc.edure for establishing a propaganda network? Select from
among extraordinarily clan conscious activists among the party and youth corps,
militia, and peasants those with special aptitudes for writing and speaking and
ability to mingle vith the people, and use them to expand the propaganda netvork.
Then organize them into working groups. A party subbranch committeeman should
lead In the network activities and should hold meetings at stated intervals to
discuss activities and collect reports.
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r
Re,ponsible rural cadres should be prepared to give instruction to the
propaganda workers in how to fit local situations into the general propaganda
policies handed down from above so as to develop good propaganda material.
They should also explain to the workers the intricacies of propaganda work.
Prompt recognition should be given to good propaganda work on the part of units
or individuals in the network. Continued education should he given those not
so successful. The most important methods of rural propaganda activity are
individual oral information, information to groups by use of megaphones, wall
newspapers, and posters, slogans, etc.
A combination of party and youth corps organization, good organization cf
rural governmental structure, and propaganda activities will assure the de-
velopment of the rural communities in the right direction, which, in turn,
wi
ll bring about high agricultural production and general prosperity for the
easants.
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