New Plan of the National Peasant Association for the Peasant Movement
(June 1927)

It is hereby ordered: The traitors Jiang and Xia have lately risen in revolt one after another, each raising the banner of opposing the peasant and labor movements. Although this is the consistent slogan of the counter-revolutionary faction and not a question of whether the peasant and labor movements themselves have in fact committed any fault, yet on the one hand, because the revolutionary tide has surged, the primitive phenomena of the early peasant movement could not be entirely eliminated, and on the other hand, the guiding capacity of higher-level organs has not been able to meet the needs—this is truly an undeniable fact. China's peasant movement has entered a new period and a new policy must be adopted. In order to carry it out more smoothly, the following five points are set forth. It is earnestly hoped that the provincial peasant associations, and through them the peasant associations at all levels, will act in earnest compliance:

1. Pay attention to strengthening organization and enforcing discipline.

In the past, owing to the extremely rapid development of peasant associations at all levels, it was hard to avoid the infiltration of bad elements such as local tyrants and evil gentry, who seized the chance to carry out their schemes of undermining the peasant movement. They often borrowed the name of the peasant associations to commit various acts that harmed the interests of the great majority of peasants and the reputation of the associations. Now, to correct such ills, large numbers of peasants must actively participate in peasant associations at all levels, and the rural and district peasant associations should, whenever possible, convene congresses at any time to review past work and oversee the conduct of members. If bad elements are discovered, revolutionary discipline must be enforced immediately and they must be severely sanctioned. Moreover, to implement the new policy, peasant associations at all levels shall, on the very day, convene congresses to elect additional new staff and increase new guiding personnel. At the same time, let the poor peasants, tenant peasants,

hired peasants, and owner-peasants who till the land become the solid social foundation of the peasant associations.

2. Pay attention to the interests of revolutionary allies.

The small merchants in the villages are the main agents who circulate funds and, together with the peasants, find themselves oppressed. The peasant associations should promptly lead the peasants to form a close revolutionary alliance with them. The distillation of spirits, the making of sugar, and the handling of other commodities, though matters of interest to the chambers of commerce, are also related to the rural economy, and the peasant associations must protect them. In the absence of village self-government organs, the peasant associations shall calculate the needs of the village for rice and grain, so that surplus grain can circulate as freely as possible, thereby sparing the small landlords and rich peasants any inconvenience, while fully supplying army provisions. Other important rural products should likewise establish sound economic relations with urban commerce, so that trade conducted by small and medium-sized merchants can develop unimpeded. In some places in the past, because of the levying of contributions and assessments and for other reasons, relations between urban commerce and the villages have steadily deteriorated. From now on, this state of affairs must be corrected, and the development of commerce should be fostered in an organized manner so as to guard against excessive exploitation by profiteers. As for the families and property of revolutionary soldiers, the Association’s First Provisional Order has explicitly directed the peasant associations at all levels to guide the peasants in giving them genuine protection. At present this work must be intensified even more in concert with the movement to comfort and care for the revolutionary soldiers.

3. Pay attention to the sequence of steps in improving old rural customs.

Movements such as banning village feasts, banning sacrificial cakes, fruit, incense, and candles, opposing all superstitions and patriarchal old customs, and improving the position of women in the villages, though necessary for breaking the bad habits of feudal society, must be preceded by prolonged propaganda so that the common people understand them and the general social and cultural level has been raised; only then can they be carried out without hindrance. If one acts overhastily, not only will no good result be achieved, but reactionary elements will also be able to exploit backward thinking to spread rumors, sow dissension, and attack the progressive peasant movement,

thereby undermining the revolutionary alliance in the countryside.

4. Begin the work of rural reconstruction.

The establishment of village self-government organs is an important task for suppressing the reactionary feudal forces, consolidating the victories already won by the peasants, eliminating the state of anarchy in the villages, and making the peasant movement suit the new revolutionary environment. The Association has already petitioned the National Government to promulgate at an early date regulations on village self-government. All peasant associations shall immediately unite with the revolutionary common people in the villages and work diligently so that village self-government organs may be fully established within the shortest possible time. Peasant banks, producers' cooperatives, consumers' cooperatives, and other constructive undertakings shall also be built jointly by the peasant associations at all levels together with other revolutionary common people.

5. Step up propaganda work.

Whenever the peasant movement makes considerable headway, the local tyrants and evil gentry and the feudal forces, on the one hand, concentrate their forces to slaughter peasants and, on the other, buy running dogs to fabricate false charges, spread rumors, and sow confusion. The poor peasants, having just obtained a measure of freedom, have no experience in organizing associations, and it is virtually impossible to avoid all naive actions. The local tyrants and evil gentry then magnify a trifle in order to make a sensation. Since the rebel Xia rose in revolt, their activities have become particularly rampant. In the past, peasant associations at all levels have been extremely slack in propaganda work. Thus propaganda in which the local tyrants and evil gentry turn right into wrong and confound black and white has been able to saturate the villages and towns, so much so that even revolutionary comrades have come under its influence and have doubted the peasant movement. Henceforth, peasant associations at all levels must not only fully present before revolutionary comrades and the revolutionary public the true facts about how the poor peasants are oppressed and ravaged by the local tyrants and evil gentry—thereby depriving the gentry of their most powerful weapon for attacking the peasants—but must also truthfully disclose in full detail the circumstances of the peasant movement, so that higher-level peasant associations can guide its work at any time and correct its errors. They must also carry out a thorough, widespread propaganda campaign concerning the Association’s First Provisional Order, so that ordinary peasants will all thoroughly understand the new orientation of the peasant movement and work actively

in accordance with the path indicated by the Association.

These five points are all essential tasks for consolidating the revolutionary alliance and promoting the National Revolution. The provincial peasant associations must lead peasant associations at all levels to carry them out earnestly. Should any fail to implement them vigorously, or overtly agree but covertly oppose them, the Association will certainly apply revolutionary discipline and immediately order reorganization. Where reactionaries borrow the name of the peasant associations to stir up trouble or fabricate false charges, the peasant associations at all levels shall request the government to suppress them at once and prevent them from spreading. This is of the utmost importance. Hereby strictly ordered.

Standing Committee Members of the Provisional Executive Committee of the All-China National Peasant Association
Tan Yankai, Tan Pingshan, Deng Yanda, Mao Zedong, Lu Chen

In the first half of 1927, the Mao Zedong family's residence in Wuhan.

Speech at the 34th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee [1]
(July 4, 1927)

1
The Changsha Incident was He Jian’s attempt to seize Tang Shengzhi’s regime. Tang Shengzhi originally wanted to draw us in to oppose He, but seeing that we had no strength, he then drew in He Jian’s subordinates to attack He; therefore Tang could not strike Xu Kexiang.

2
In the National Revolutionary Army there are several divisions and corps opposing Chiang; we should promote a split between Tang Shengzhi and He Jian and draw Tang over to oppose Chiang.

3
There are two strategies: (1) transforming ourselves into a pacification army and existing legally—this is truly difficult; (2)

Besides, there are still two other roads: (1) going up to the mountains, and (2) throwing ourselves into the army. Going up to the mountains can build up a basis for military power. If we do not preserve armed force, then when an incident occurs one day we will have no solution.

[1] Part one above consists of a portion of Mao Zedong's remarks during the discussion on the Hunan question. Part two consists of a portion of Mao Zedong's remarks during the discussion on allying with Tang Shengzhi against Chiang Kai-shek. Part three consists of a portion of Mao Zedong's remarks on the strategy of the provincial peasant association.