Land Reform and Rural Policies under
the Chinese Communists 1937-1949
Rural Classes
Landlords live primarily off the labor of others, get
their wealth through renting their surplus of land,
give high interest loans to villagers
 Rich Peasants: are families with enough land to
have some surplus grain at the end of the season
(thus capital), and may even rent some land to
others, give out loans
 Middle Peasants: Families that break even.
Have enough to eat, but little or no surplus, but
likely no loans either—they usually don’t borrow or
lend
 Poor Peasant: Not enough land feed the family,
they need loans to survive
 Laborers, etc: no land at all

Land Reform
Progressive Taxation: tax the rich more
than the poor
 Interest Rate Reduction: make loans
accessible and realistic
 Rent Reduction Campaigns: most
difficult, involves mobilization and active
participation of poor peasants
 Results: A gradual equalization of
landholdings---a “Silent Revolution”

Rent Reduction
Experiments in grass roots activism
 Peasant association: poor and middle
peasants
 Tactics:
1) venting grievances
2) settling accounts
3) group discussions
