Land Reform during the Soviet Era - Excerpt from "Investigation of Xunwu"
(14) Whether non-farmers are allocated land
There are no divisions, but families with fewer houses or those whose houses have been burned by reactionaries are permitted to move in with families that have more residents.
In some areas, after the land is divided according to the population, those who are unable to cultivate due to lack of strength return a portion of their land (the amount returned varies and is determined by the individual) to the Soviet, which then reallocates it to those who have the labor capacity to farm. As a result, those with labor capacity receive more land, while those without receive less, which is quite similar to the second method proposed by the county government. The difference lies in the fact that the farmers voluntarily return a portion of their land after the division, rather than having it allocated based on labor capacity from the outset. This practice is observed in Longtu Township. Huangsha Township also has a system of land return, but it is not initiated by the farmers themselves; rather, after the division, the government observes that some individuals have received land but are unable to cultivate it, and thus orders them to return a portion. When asked to return land, the farmers do not express much complaint; however, if they are forced to return fertile land while being prohibited from returning less fertile land, they are displeased. Longtu and Huangsha Townships together have a population of 2,500.
In certain areas, those under the age of four are not counted; those aged four and above, up to old age, who are unable to work, are allocated fifty or seventy percent, while the remainder is allocated one hundred percent. This method is practiced in the four townships of Liucheng, Fengshan, Shangzhan, and Datong, which have a population of approximately ten thousand.
(8) The issue of public farmland allocation
This segment primarily pertains to the impoverished farmers. A significant number of the men are quite tough. Fang Tian's Red Guards captain, Zeng Jiaxun, originally had a wife, but later became involved with another woman. His original wife requested a divorce, but he refused, telling her: "My family has no income or expenses; if you want a divorce, I will shoot you dead with a gun!" Liu Xuesheng, a wealthy farmer from Longtu, opposed his wife's request for divorce and told the chairman of the revolutionary committee: "If she wants a divorce, I will block the canal. If I block the canal, I am willing to die!" (The term "block" is pronounced as 'wu' locally, meaning to eliminate; "canal" is pronounced as 'ji', referring to his own situation.)
(1) Methods of Land Allocation
The primary principle is to distribute land according to the population. Only 20% of the county has not had land allocated. Of the land that has already been distributed, 80% was allocated based on a method that divides it equally among men, women, and children. When the land struggle first began, there were no established methods to refer to. The Xunwu County Revolutionary Committee (county government) proposed four methods, instructing the district and township Soviets to convene representatives of the masses for discussion, allowing them to choose one. The four methods are:
In Shuangqiao and the Nanba District, many houses were burned by the enemy. Those who lost their homes moved in with nearby landlords and wealthy farmers, while some also took refuge with middle and poor peasants. However, there is a problem: the homeowners are not pleased with the newcomers giving birth in their houses
Farmers oppose the allocation of land based on large areas for two reasons and prefer allocation based on smaller areas. First, they fear losing their own land to others. For this reason, they not only oppose the allocation of land by district but also do not support allocation by township. They sincerely wish for land to be allocated by village, ensuring that the land of their own village is entirely retained for their village. Therefore, although 85% of the current land allocation in Xunwu is done by township, most farmers do not enthusiastically support this method; they merely do not actively oppose it. Why do they not actively oppose it?
Secondly, there is opposition to migration. Not only do the farmers themselves oppose moving from one area to another, but they also resist relocating from one village to another. The saying "moving from the upper house to the lower house requires a basket of rice" reflects the losses incurred during relocation. Additionally, there is a belief in feng shui, where it is thought that abandoning ancestral graves brings misfortune. Farmers believe that feng shui is beneficial to their production. Familiar fields, accustomed homes, and well-understood social relationships are indeed valuable treasures for farmers. Abandoning these to seek a new place results in many unnoticed losses. Furthermore, due to geographical reasons, such as the convenience of transportation and developed commerce in certain areas, farmers in those regions are unwilling to move to isolated places, even if they are only ten miles apart within the same district. This reluctance is also based on economic reasons. The notion that farmers' localism stems from outdated thinking, acknowledging psychological factors while dismissing economic reasons, is incorrect.
(13) How to Handle Land After the Uprising in the Fields
(6) The suburban vagrants demand land distribution
2. Distribution based on labor force conditions: those with a larger labor force receive more, while those with a smaller labor force receive less. Specifically, individuals aged four and above but below fifty-five are considered as one labor unit for the distribution of the entire field, while those aged four and below or fifty-five and above are allocated half a field.
Women are particularly prominent in land struggles, as these struggles can liberate them from the constraints of lacking personal freedom. Among the unmarried youth, nearly all classes support the slogan of marriage freedom. Generally speaking, married adult men from the poor peasant class oppose the freedom of divorce, but their opposition is not characterized by a stubborn, counter-revolutionary attitude; they simply feel that if their wives leave, they cannot work in the fields. Their lament is: "Revolution has severed everything, even my wife has been severed!" They go to the village government to request a solution, and they no longer dare to hit their wives, even in situations that provoke great anger. The adult men from the rich peasant and small landlord classes are entirely different; their expressions of counter-revolutionary, unreasonable behavior, such as "covering the ditch" or "I’ll shoot you dead with a single shot," reflect their attitudes. As for why adult male farmers oppose the freedom of divorce (there is no issue with marriage freedom), it is quite evident that they do so for the sake of labor force.
(12) Original cultivation comprehensive allocation
(9) Allocation of speed and slowness
(10) A character "Ping".
(5) Standards for Allocating Land Areas
There was no allocation of public land. During the meeting to distribute land, the farmers were preoccupied with dividing the land completely and did not propose that the government reserve any public land. The reason for this is the dense population and the scarcity of land; the land distributed to the farmers was only sufficient for their subsistence, and in some cases, it was still insufficient. How could they possibly support the government reserving public land?
(17) Women in Land Struggles
In a certain township, although the quantity of land between villages may vary, the differences are not significant. When divided by township, the economic losses they incur are quite minimal. However, in areas where there is a substantial disparity in land quantity between villages, or where a village's area is nearly equivalent to that of an entire township elsewhere, they firmly oppose division by township. For instance, in the suburban township of the urban area (divided into four villages), the Xinzai township (divided into two villages), and the Zhucun township in the southern eighth district (divided into six villages), distribution is conducted on a village basis. Nevertheless, such regions are few, accounting for only fifteen percent of the entire county.
In Xunwu, women and men are both key contributors to labor. Strictly speaking, the responsibilities they undertake in farming are often greater than those of men. Tasks such as plowing, harrowing, carrying manure and grass, and transporting grains are primarily performed by men due to physical strength; however, women assist in carrying manure and grass, transporting grains, planting, weeding, collecting grass, leveling fields, turning fields, and harvesting. In contrast, tasks such as threshing, pounding, watering gardens, planting vegetables, chopping firewood, cutting grass, boiling water for tea, cooking meals, fetching water for pigs, managing livestock (referred to as head livestock), washing skirts and shirts, mending clothes and making shoes, sweeping floors, and washing dishes are primarily the domain of women, with men providing assistance. Additionally, the nurturing of children is exclusively a woman's responsibility, which makes the labor of women truly more arduous than that of men
In addition, there is free farming in Daitian Township, allowing individuals to cultivate as much as they wish. This situation arises because Daitian Township suffered from the White Terror, which resulted in the deaths of nearly one hundred able-bodied men and dozens of elderly and children. Some families were completely exterminated, and around twenty to thirty individuals joined the Red Guards or went to other counties to engage in revolutionary work. The township originally had eight hundred residents, but now only six hundred remain, leaving many fields uncultivated. Furthermore, all the cattle in the township have been taken away by the reactionaries, leaving no livestock behind, so farming is left to whoever wishes to cultivate, with no restrictions. Cattle are brought in from the households of landlords in other townships for use.
Divided into two categories: debts and accounts. Debts refer to the abolition of usury exceeding 20%. The amounts owed to merchants are referred to as accounts. Debts incurred before the first day of the 17th year of the Republic are not to be repaid, while those incurred afterwards must be repaid. Since all debts in Xunwu are above 20%, the non-repayment of debts above 20% effectively means the non-repayment of all debts. Debts borrowed among relatives and friends without interest are still repaid by the masses, but this is very rare. Accounts owed to merchants mostly belong to the wealthy peasant class, with a slight presence among the middle peasants. Poor peasants and hired laborers do not have accounts with merchants. Debts borrowed among relatives and friends without interest are still repaid by the masses, but this is very rare. Accounts owed to merchants mostly belong to the wealthy peasant class, with a slight presence among the middle peasants. Poor peasants and hired laborers do not have accounts with merchants.
In the entire county, with the exception of Niudouguang Township, no allocation of mountain forests has been made; they continue to be managed by the original cultivators, nominally owned by the Soviet. The cultivators pay land tax to the Soviet. Why was the mountain forest allocated in Niudouguang? Because that township has a large population and limited land, the farmers urgently demanded the division of the mountains. Furthermore, in many areas, farmers still urgently request the division of mountains, such as those outside the south and north gates of Fucheng, where mountain rights are held by prominent families, leaving small-scale farmers without land to cultivate. They are thus pressing for the division of the mountains.
(3) Pond Allocation Problem
(2) The issue of forest land allocation
(4) Housing Allocation Issues
4. Land distribution is based on the fertility of the land, with less fertile land allocated more and more fertile land allocated less. As a result of implementation, the majority of areas adopted the first method. As the struggle developed, the Qianwu Party adopted the first method as the primary approach, promoting it across various regions, which garnered the support of the majority of poor peasant masses. Currently, land distributed according to this method accounts for 80 percent of the total distribution area. In this 80 percent of the area, distribution is based solely on population numbers, without distinction between genders, ages, or labor capabilities, dividing the total land area by the population.
(11) Those who resist Hirata
After the dissemination of this declaration, numerous disturbances between men and women occurred in various places in the southern half of the county. The most notable incidents involved the youth from Longtu and Hejiaowei, both located in the southern eighth district, who nearly engaged in violent confrontations. The reason was that groups of young men from both villages frequently harassed the young women from the neighboring village. The young women from both villages organized women's associations, which fostered their unity, allowing them to relax somewhat from their arduous labor (they would go up the mountains in groups to gather firewood, returning home later than usual). Simultaneously, their romantic interactions with their male friends from the neighboring village gradually increased, and they began to openly express their 'freedom' in groups on the mountains. By January of this year, due to incidents of infidelity, the opposing factions intervened, resulting in near violent clashes. In addition to the aforementioned incidents, nearly every village had cases of wives finding new lovers, leading to collective opposition from the wives.
(7) The amount of land each person receives and the supplementary provisions for insufficient livelihood
1. Divide according to the population
During the land distribution meetings in each township, the issues discussed included whether to organize by township or by village, whether to allocate based on population standards or labor force standards, and how to distribute fish ponds, gardens, and dams (the issues of mountains, forests, and houses were not raised for discussion in Xunwu). There should be no false reporting, and what penalties will be imposed for false reporting? As for the issue of confiscation standards, it hardly needs discussion, because once the red flag is raised, it is a declaration of land confiscation, and there is no need for any written form of declaration. The simple question is how to distribute this large area of land. It is evident that the principle of equal land distribution, calculated by dividing the total land area by the total population, is the most straightforward and is supported by the majority of the masses. The few who are unwilling (landlords and rich farmers) hardly dare to utter a word under the threat of the masses. Therefore, the term "equal" encompasses both the meanings of confiscation and distribution.
(15) The issue of bad debts
In Xunwu, there is a custom that if someone gives birth to a son in another person's home, it is believed that the family's "spirit" will be taken away by the newcomer, leading to the family's decline. In the past, there was a scholar named Zeng Xingsong from Fangtian Township in Shuangqiao District, who was born in his maternal grandfather's home. Later, he passed the imperial examination and became an official, and people said he had taken away the feng shui of his maternal grandfather's family. This incident became well-known throughout the county. After the failure of the March 25th uprising, the wife of the commander-in-chief of the Liucheng uprising, Zhong Xiqiu, sought refuge at her maternal grandfather's home. Fearing that she might give birth, her grandfather quickly urged her to leave. She eventually fled to a village in Longchuan County, where she built a hut on the mountain and gave birth to her son. Nowadays, families occupied by workers and peasants, although they do not dare to openly oppose others giving birth in their homes, are nonetheless dissatisfied in their hearts. The only solution to this issue is to transform the current "temporary residence" into "ownership," meaning that the landlord's houses should be distributed just like the landlord's fields. This is also a strategy to undermine the feudal foundation and strive for the interests of poor farmers.
There are several methods for allocating land
There are three methods of handling the situation. The first method is currently practiced in the northern half of Xunwu County (the southern half of the county distributes land before planting, so this issue does not arise). The upper share (also called "early share") belongs to the original cultivator, while the lower share (also called "late share") belongs to the new household. This method does not disadvantage the wealthy farmers, but all the poor farmers with little land and the landlords and rogues who do not cultivate land are dissatisfied. In particular, the landlords and rogues feel helpless. They cannot collect rent, and the landlords are unable to obtain grain. This method does not disadvantage the wealthy farmers, but all the poor farmers with little land and the landlords and rogues who do not cultivate land are dissatisfied. In particular, the landlords and rogues feel helpless. They cannot collect rent, and the landlords are unable to obtain grain. With gambling abolished and no money to borrow, the rogues have lost their source of livelihood. The second method involves the new households providing financial assistance to the original cultivators, with the upper share also going to the new households for grain. This method is further divided into providing more or less assistance. If the assistance is substantial, the original cultivators are naturally satisfied; if the assistance is minimal, the original cultivators are certainly dissatisfied. However, the poor farmers and rogue communities begin to discuss this matter, with some even saying: "How many wealthy families have gone bankrupt, and you can't spare even a little bit of your surplus?" This implies that many wealthy landlords have gone bankrupt, and you can't part with even this little excess? Legally, Xunwu does not recognize this method, but farmers have the freedom to implement it. For instance, in urban areas, some poor farmers who do not have enough to eat provide a little money to wealthy farmers, requesting that the wealthy farmers allow them to harvest a portion of the upper share. Quite a few families do this. The third method is that regardless of who has the upper or lower share, whoever divides it goes to harvest it. This practice exists in Pingyuan County, Guangdong.
In the city, the farmers receive the least amount of land, with each person allotted 1.8 stones, making it the region with the least land distribution in the entire county. The reason for this is that there was little farming in the past, and now there are many vagrants and prostitutes who did not farm before but are now demanding land distribution. Consequently, the land is distributed sparingly. Some prostitutes have run away with their lovers, while those without lovers insist on land distribution, claiming, "Without business, we will starve if we do not receive land." People say they cannot farm, to which they respond, "I will learn!" In reality, they have already begun farming. Most of the vagrants and prostitutes have received land. Those vagrants who have received land are generally more capable of farming, such as those with sons or a small amount of capital; the prostitutes have husbands or sons, and each family consists of three to five members, urgently demanding land distribution. If they are not given land, those without lovers will insist on it, saying, "Without business, we will starve if we do not receive land." People say they cannot farm, to which they respond, "I will learn!" In reality, they have already begun farming. Most of the vagrants and prostitutes have received land. Those vagrants who have received land are generally more capable of farming, such as those with sons or a small amount of capital; the prostitutes have husbands or sons, and each family consists of three to five members, urgently demanding land distribution. If they are not given land, they will cause a disturbance. In this situation, the government has also distributed land to them. However, there is also a portion that does not receive land, specifically those who are purely rogues or prostitutes and have no farming ability whatsoever. They will cause a disturbance. In this situation, the government has also distributed land to them. However, there is also a portion that does not receive land, specifically those who are purely rogues or prostitutes and have no farming ability whatsoever. In the suburbs of the city, 60% of the vagrants have received land, while 40% who have no farming ability do not receive land.
So, do peasant men oppose the liberation of women entirely? Not at all, especially the poor peasant and hired labor classes, who will soon grant women complete liberation after their entire class has been liberated. Their fear of losing their wives arises from a mindset that occurs when the land struggle has not yet deepened and they have not fully seen the results of overthrowing feudal exploitation. Once the land struggle deepens, their attitude towards marriage will change significantly. Their fear of losing their wives arises from a mindset that occurs when the land struggle has not yet deepened and they have not fully seen the results of overthrowing feudal exploitation. Once the land struggle deepens, their attitude towards marriage will change significantly
The following is an excerpt from "Investigation of Xunwu" by Lao Mao, which lists the land reform methods implemented by the Communist Party. It is now extracted for everyone to comment on.
3. Allocate resources based on the abundance or scarcity of financial sources in life; for those engaged in skilled trades, allocate less, while for those without other professions, allocate more
In Shuangqiao District, there is a small landlord named Liu in Fengshan Township who refuses to relinquish his fertile land, only offering up some poor-quality land. When the masses forced him to give it up, he indignantly declared, "I would rather lose my life than give it up!" The township government was unable to resolve the issue. It was only when the county government sent personnel to Fengshan that he was pressured into compliance, and the fertile land was finally released. In Nanba District, there is also a wealthy farmer and small landlord named Niu Douguang who refuses to part with his good land. The township government fears them and dares not take a stand, so the county government had to convene a mass meeting to compel the wealthy farmer and small landlord to comply. The county government had to send personnel to Fengshan to pressure him into submission, and the fertile land was released. In Shuangqiao District, there is a small landlord named Mei Yuankun from Datian Township who had his house burned down by reactionaries and believes he has contributed to the revolution. When the masses sought to divide his land, he harshly exclaimed, "Divide the land? You must be out of your mind!" The masses reported him to the county government, which instructed the district government to apprehend him. The head of the district government, Mei Lisan, a Communist Party member and a relative of Mei Yuankun, covered up the matter. Mei Yuankun denied having made that statement, and the land was still divided, thus concluding the matter. Additionally, in Shuangqiao District, the heads of the township governments in Huangtangdu and Xuxi, both named Lin and also Communist Party members, received the best land during the land distribution. The masses expressed their dissatisfaction, saying, "The officials received good land while we were given poor land," leading to a significant decline in their fighting spirit. The county government then withdrew the good land from the two individuals and redistributed it to the masses, which pleased them. In the examples above, except for Mei Yuankun's case, which involved opposition to the confiscation of his land, the others were not about confiscation but rather about the distribution of fertile versus poor land. Therefore, whether or not to confiscate the wealthy farmers' land was not seen as a problem by the masses. The issue that arose among the masses was a struggle over the distribution of fertile and poor land, which is the central focus of the land struggle, representing the conflict between wealthy farmers and poor farmers.
(16) Land Tax
The term "by township" refers to population units, not land units. Land cannot be restricted by region. People from Township A cultivate land in Township B, and people from Township B also cultivate land in Township A. Individuals from one township have agricultural relationships in neighboring townships. The boundaries between districts, counties, and provinces are such that farmers cultivate land in an interwoven manner. Therefore, when the people of a township take the land they originally cultivated in their own and neighboring townships, the total is averaged out and considered indisputable. The land distribution in Xinyu follows the same principle.
This group of men mostly belongs to the wealthy peasant class. The attitude of the governing authorities towards this issue has undergone four changes. The first was the resolution of the Peasants' Representative Assembly last November, which did not explicitly oppose polygamy, acknowledging that a man could have a lover after having a wife, provided that the wife did not object, and this was not considered a crime. It advocated for conditional divorce, with conditions that were not particularly harsh, recognizing cases where one party was ill, where the woman was oppressed, where the couple had been estranged for six months and did not cohabit, or where the man had been away for a year without news, all of which were grounds for divorce. The landlord class could divorce unconditionally. Simultaneously, outside of legal matters, it was declared that catching someone in the act of infidelity was prohibited.
Ownership belongs to the Soviet, while usage rights are granted to the farmers, who take turns managing the pond, with each household in proximity changing annually. This method is applied throughout the entire county
Their work is fragmented; this task is unfinished while another begins. They are the appendages of the male economy (from feudal economy to early capitalist economy). Although men have escaped serfdom, women remain the serfs or semi-serfs of men. They lack political status and personal freedom, and their suffering surpasses that of all others. As the land struggle develops, many women bravely participate in the fight. This time, the Second Column of the Fourth Army attacked the reactionary stronghold in Huangxiang, and the women of Huangxiang gathered in groups to collect firewood to burn the stronghold, also seizing grain from the homes of reactionary landlords. They lack political status and personal freedom, and their suffering surpasses that of all others. As the land struggle develops, many women bravely participate in the fight. This time, the Second Column of the Fourth Army attacked the reactionary stronghold in Huangxiang, and the women of Huangxiang gathered in groups to collect firewood to burn the stronghold, also seizing grain from the homes of reactionary landlords. In places where the struggle has succeeded, they immediately gain personal awareness. At the initial establishment of local governments, the number of divorce cases they handled daily was considerable, most of which were initiated by women. Although men also initiated some, it was very few. Out of ten divorce cases, nine were initiated by women, while only one was initiated by a man. At the initial establishment of local governments, the number of divorce cases they handled daily was considerable, most of which were initiated by women. Although men also initiated some, it was very few. Out of ten divorce cases, nine were initiated by women, while only one was initiated by a man. Men, on this issue, adopt a completely opposing attitude, and a small portion of men have become passive. "Revolution, severance, and absolute break; even the wives have been severed!" This is their lamentation, expressing their inability to prevent divorce.
Last year, a tax on anti-rent income was collected, with a tax of two dou for every shi of anti-rent. This was implemented in the Shuangqiao and Nanbaliang districts. In February of this year, the county revolutionary committee's expanded meeting stipulated a universal land tax of ten percent, regardless of classification, with the tax rate being the same as that of the anti-rent income tax. This is a non-progressive tax system. In May, the county Soviet assembly adopted the progressive tax system promulgated by the Ganxi Soviet.