1. The question of political power is merely a matter of form.
It is sufficient for us to earnestly implement our Party’s resolutions. That is, if we can expand the organization of peasant associations, then the question of peasant political power will not be a problem.

I have some opinions on the land question. I believe this issue should have a program, namely:
(1) The significance of resolving the land question.
After we define this significance, we must vigorously propagate it.
(2) How to resolve the land question—that is, what standards should be used for confiscating land and how land should be distributed. This point is truly the central issue of the question.
(3) The relationship between peasant political power and the land question—that is, what organs should be used to carry out confiscation and distribution.
(4) Once land is confiscated and the tiller has his own land, should land sales be prohibited? Hence, the issues of prohibiting land sales and land nationalization arise.
(5) The land tax question—that is, how to levy agricultural taxes. This issue is also quite complex.

2. The significance of resolving the land question includes:
(1) Liberating the peasants.
Abolishing the exploitation and oppression of landlords and all oppressing classes is the primary significance of this issue.
(2) If the land question is not resolved, economically backward countries cannot increase their productive forces, cannot alleviate the suffering of peasant livelihoods, and cannot improve the land.
According to investigations by Russian comrades [2], our country’s land productivity is declining daily, and the nation’s overall productive forces have reached a great crisis. If this crisis is not resolved, a massive famine will inevitably occur.
If the land question is not resolved, peasants will lack the means to improve the land, and production will inevitably decrease day by day.
Thus, the second significance is increasing production.
(3) Protecting the revolution.
Although the revolutionary forces are currently developing, they have also reached a crisis. Henceforth, without a fresh force, failure is inevitable.
To increase fresh forces and protect the revolution, the land question must be resolved.
Its function is that after resolving the land question, the financial problem and the soldier problem can be solved.
Whether soldiers can permanently participate in the revolution also depends on resolving the land question, because peasants, wanting to protect their land, will fight bravely.
These three points are the important significance of resolving the land question.

3. Now, three more items can be added to the significance of resolving the land question:
(1) Abolishing the feudal system;
(2) Developing China’s industry;
(3) Raising cultural levels.

4. I fully agree with the Chairman’s opinion [3].
I believe the Ministry of Agriculture of the National Government should immediately establish a Rural Self-Government Committee to specifically manage matters related to rural self-government organs.
As for peasant political power, there are two stages:
(1) The era of peasant associations.
During the rural revolution, political power is concentrated in the peasant associations.
(2) After the revolution, rural governments should operate under the system of the National Government.
Peasant associations and the government originally belong to different systems. Moreover, in exercising such peasant political power, several central counties in each province should serve as models.
Hunan has already promulgated regulations on district and village self-government [4]; Hubei can also begin, while Guangdong is an exception.
The most important provisions in these regulations must stipulate that certain types of people cannot join the self-government organs.
Now we must recognize peasant political power and promote it.

5. (1) The question of peasant political power can be treated as a separate issue.
(2) Add an item on organs for land distribution to the above outline for resolving the land question.

Printed based on the records of the First Expanded Meeting of the Land Committee of the Kuomintang Central Committee.

Notes
[1] These are five remarks made by Mao Zedong during discussions on “peasant political power” and “the significance of resolving the land question” at the First Expanded Meeting of the Land Committee of the Kuomintang Central Committee. This meeting was held on the afternoon of April 19, 1927, in Hankou.
[2] Refers to Soviet land experts York and Dakhanov.
[3] Refers to the following opinion expressed at the meeting by Chairman Deng Yanda: “The question of peasant political power should be approached from the grassroots level: (1) On the negative side, feudal forces should be eliminated. (2) On the positive side, peasant self-government organs should be established. However, village self-government, district self-government, and county self-government must all take into account the guarantee of peasant armed force. Therefore, resolving the question of peasant armed force is extremely important. Thus, the first step is to discuss the organizational laws for village, district, and county self-government organs; the second step is to enable peasants to obtain arms—the revolutionary party and government should find ways to provide arms to peasants, and we should pass a resolution requesting the central government to allocate 5% or 10% of products from arsenals to peasants; the third step is for the Ministry of Agriculture, based on the resolution, to formulate and promulgate organizational decrees for village, district, and county self-government organs.”
[4] Refers to the “Notice on How to Realize Rural Democratic Political Power” and its appendix, the “Hunan District and Village Self-Government Regulations,” issued by the Hunan District Committee of the Communist Party of China on February 16, 1927.