Directives Given While Listening to Wang Guanlan’s Report on the Land Investigation Pilot Work[1]

(March 1933)

Extensively and deeply mobilize the local masses, earnestly propagate and implement the Party’s land policy, rely on the poor peasants and farm laborers, unite with the middle peasants, and organize to solve problems. The Land Investigation Movement is by no means an ordinary trivial matter; it is a great revolutionary struggle of the masses and a fierce class struggle. Only under the correct leadership of the Party, by truly organizing the masses, uniting as one, and distinguishing between enemies and ourselves, can we maximize the strength of the masses, push the struggle forward, and carry out all work better. Attention must be paid to mastering policy; care must be taken not to treat well-to-do middle peasants who engage in slight and transient exploitation as members of the exploiting class, thereby infringing upon their interests and broadening the scope of attack.

[1] These were directives given by Mao Zedong while listening to multiple reports by Wang Guanlan of the Provisional Central Government’s Ministry of Land, who was conducting land investigation pilot work in Yeping Township, Yunji District, Ruijin County.