Shanghai Work-Study Mutual Aid Group Fundraising Appeal[1]

(March 7, 1920)

In Chinese society today, those who receive an education cannot do manual work, and those who do manual work cannot receive an education. Because the educated do not work, education has become almost a thing that produces idlers; because the workers receive no education, their occupations have become almost a thing that produces slaves.

Under China's current school system, during the period of pursuing learning one cannot earn a living, and during the period of earning a living one cannot pursue learning. If one does not earn a living while pursuing learning, learning becomes formalistic and mechanical; if one does not pursue learning while earning a living, learning becomes discontinuous—stagnant and without progress.

Seen in this light, education and occupation are in conflict, and livelihood and learning are in conflict. How can this be considered reasonable education or a proper livelihood? It is precisely because we want to find a way to unify education and occupation, to integrate learning and livelihood, that we are initiating this Work-Study Mutual Aid Group. We hope it will enable those young men and women in Shanghai who embrace new ideas to free themselves from the various economic and psychological

[1] According to a reply letter Peng Huang wrote to Yue Zeng, published in Shanghai's *Current Affairs News* on June 8, 1920, the Shanghai Work-Study Mutual Aid Group was initiated and organized in Shanghai in 1920 by Peng Huang, Mao Zedong, and others who had invited a number of people enthusiastic about the cause. Its aim "was originally to create a new kind of organization and new life for young people buried under the evil system of the old society," but it ultimately failed because it proved unworkable in practice. In May of the same year, Peng Huang again gathered Mao Zedong, Zhang Wenliang, and others, renting several rooms on Minhouli in Shanghai where they lived together, worked together, studied together, shared their food, and shared their clothing, attempting to put the work-study mutual aid life into practice. This ended when Mao Zedong and Peng Huang returned to Changsha in June. This article was published simultaneously in Shanghai's *Current Affairs News* and *Shen Bao* on March 7, 1920. Apart from differences in the order in which the "initiators" are listed, the content is identical.

constraints imposed by the old society and old family, and thereby bring forth a new kind of life and a new kind of organization that can put into practice this method of half-work, half-study and mutual aid assistance. This, we may say, is the sole purpose of us initiators.

However, during the initial preparatory phase, we require approximately one thousand yuan in funds. If you approve of our purpose and are willing to assist these young people in general, we would be deeply grateful for any financial support!

▲Simple Charter of the Shanghai Work-Study Mutual Aid Group

I. Purpose: The purpose of this Group is to put into practice half-work, half-study and mutual aid assistance.

II. Members: Any person who wishes to join this Group must be recommended by three members and approved by the entire membership to become a member of this Group.

III. Service: Each member must work six hours per day. If living expenses cannot be met, the working hours may be temporarily increased by a public resolution of the members.

IV. Rights: The necessary clothing, food, and shelter for members' livelihood, as well as expenses for education, medicine, and books, shall all be provided by the Group, though books shall remain the collective property of the Group.

V. Types of Work: Tentatively divided into the following four categories:
(1) Common People's Restaurant (2) Laundry
(3) Lithographic Printing (4) Sale of Goods, Books, and Newspapers

VI. Work: All income derived from work shall belong collectively to the Group.

VII. Facilities: A reading room and a club room shall be established.

VIII. Organization: The Group shall publicly elect a number of executive officers to discuss important affairs of the Group. Among the executive officers, one General Treasurer shall be appointed to manage the Group's overall financial receipts and expenditures. Several Accountants shall be appointed to manage the financial receipts and expenditures of each work section. Several General Affairs Officers shall be appointed to manage the buying and selling and all miscellaneous tasks of each section. Executive officers shall be elected once a month.

IX. Rules: Should any member be negligent in their work, aside from private exhortation, the executive officers may convene a membership meeting for collective admonition. After three admonitions, if the member still fails to fulfill their duties diligently, they shall be asked to leave the Group.

X. Withdrawal: Members are free to withdraw from the Group, but must submit a written statement of their reasons.

XI. Number of Persons: The Group is tentatively limited to forty persons. Expansion may proceed when funds are sufficient.

XII. Supplementary Provisions: This Simple Charter may be amended or augmented by a public resolution of the members.

This Group intends to establish an organizational distribution of work teams in Xujiahui. Detailed regulations will be formulated separately after operations commence.

Initiators: Chen Duxiu, Wang Guangqi, Wang Mengzou, Jiang Jihuan
Tang Song, Zong Baihua, Chen Zishou, Chen Bao'e
Zuo Xunsheng, Kang Baiqing, Zhang Guotao, Tu Kaiyu
Kong Zhaoshou, Deng Zhibing, Liu Qingyang, Mao Zedong
Zhang Bailing, Peng Huang, Xiao Zizhang, Li Si'an
Cheng Shengrui, Zeng Yisheng, Cao Yangli, Chen Xu
Zhou Jiguang, Qi Tiechen