Outline of the Organization and Work
of the Poor Peasant League
(July 15, 1933)
Generally speaking, the poor peasant league has played a great role in the agrarian revolution. It has not only united the broad masses of farm laborers and poor
peasants, but has also gathered the middle peasants round itself. Under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the soviets, it has constituted an
enormous revolutionary force in overthrowing the feudal and semifeudal forces
in the countryside, taking the land away from the landlord class, and actively
promoting production on the land. The poor peasant league has also played a
great role in such important work as war mobilization, economic mobilization,
and cultural construction. These great revolutionary achievements of the poor
peasant league are indeed praiseworthy. In view of the present situation, however, the poor peasant league has not made such great achievements in all the
localities. Moreover, even if there have been these achievements, this does not
mean that many shortcomings and mistakes in the organization and work of the
poor peasant league can be ignored. On the contrary, it is only when we recognize the poor peasant league's past achievements, and at the same time its present shortcomings and mistakes, as well as the fact that its achievements in some
places are insufficient, and consequently strive to correct certain shortcomings
and mistakes in the organization and work of the poor peasant league, that we
can make even greater achievements in the future, and carry out well the role
that the poor peasant league should play in the soviet movement.
According to the materials sent from many localities, there are many places
where the organization and work of the poor peasant league are imperfect. In
some localities it is even the case that the poor peasant league has only an empty
name and does no actual work. To summarize these materials, we can distinguish
two different situations: (1) In some areas there is no township poor peasant
league, but village poor peasant leagues under which there are small groups. In
some other places there is no village poor peasant league, but only township poor
peasant leagues, under which groups have been set up. In a few localities there
are both township and village poor peasant leagues, with small groups under the
latter. Within a township poor peasant league or village poor peasant league

We have translated this text from Mao Zedong ji, Vol. 3, pp. 283-89, where it is reproduced from a contemporary text.


there is an executive committee which is divided into three working departments
of chairman, organization, and propaganda. The executive committee is responsible for providing guidance to small groups. Meetings are held according to a
fixed schedule. In some cases there are general meetings once every ten days and
small group meetings once every five days. In other cases there are general
meetings once a week and small group meetings once every five days. No matter
whether one is a farm laborer, coolie, or poor peasant, he needs a recommendation by three members in order to join the poor peasant league. Otherwise he is
not allowed to join. Thus many farm laborers, coolies, and poor peasants are
excluded from the poor peasant league and the membership can hardly grow.
This in turn reduces the role played by the poor peasant league. (2) A different
and even worse situation prevails in some places, where they simply announce
that everyone is a member of the poor peasant league except landlords, rich
peasants, and middle peasants. Then as soon as a chairman of the poor peasant
league has been appointed by a branch of the Chinese Communist Party or by a
township soviet, the poor peasant league is considered to have been organized.
The chairman of the poor peasant league does not know how many members the
league has, nor does he know what work to carry out, and he does not call a
meeting for three or four months or even six months to a year, and merely hangs
up an empty signboard. In reality, this is the same as having no poor peasant
league. It is even more difficult for such a poor peasant league to accomplish its
task and play its role in the countryside. Among the poor peasant leagues in the
first situation, some have taken over the functions of the government, such as the
cases in Longgang Township in Wuyang District of Ruijin, and in Xinzhuang
and Bocun townships of Huangbai District. The poor peasant league in the
second situation carries out no regular work, but is disorganized and plays no
role at all. Both of these two phenomena are no good. But in many places in the
soviet areas there are poor peasant leagues which are developing soundly both in
their organization and in their work, with large numbers of members and an
intense spirit of struggle. They can actively conduct discussions about all kinds
of questions of the revolutionary struggle while not interfering with the jurisdiction of the township soviet. They are not only much different from the poor
peasant leagues in the second situation (which have only an empty name); they
are also more progressive than the poor peasant leagues in the first situation
(which have some defects). They are indeed the model poor peasant leagues in
the soviet areas, and merit study by the poor peasant league in other places. In
order to summarize the past experiences of the struggle, unify the organization,
generally regularize the work, and accomplish the important tasks of the poor
peasant league at the present stage of the revolution, the Central Government
hereby issues this "Outline of the Organization and Work of the Poor Peasant
League," on the basis of the experiences of the agrarian struggle and the suggestion made by the meeting of representatives of the poor peasant league in the
eight xian of Ruijin, Huichang, Yudu, Shengli, Bosheng, Shicheng, Ninghua,

We hope that the broad masses of poor peasants in the whole countryside will
unite as one and take action under this outline.
1. The poor peasant league is not an organization made up purely of a single
class, but a mass organization of poor peasants within the jurisdiction of the
township soviet. At the same time, workers in the countryside must join the poor
peasant league and form a workers' small group to play an active leading role in
the league and unite the broad masses of poor peasants under the leadership of
the proletariat, turning the league into the most reliable pillar of the political
power of the soviets.
2. The poor peasant league performs the functions of supporting the government and carrying out all the decrees of the government, but it should not replace
the government in its work. The poor peasant league should express its own
opinions and make suggestions to the government on matters concerning the
interests and rights of the workers and poor peasants.
3. The poor peasant league should pay particular attention to the interests and
rights of the middle peasants, and induce the middle peasants to rally round the
poor peasant league, in order to establish a solid alliance between the poor
peasant league and the middle peasants. This alliance can become a strong link
in uniting the middle peasants with the proletariat, and help in the pursuit of the
struggle to eliminate the landlord class and to oppose rich peasants.
4. Only under the leadership of the Communist Party and the soviets can the
poor peasant league correctly accomplish all its tasks, and avoid being influenced by the rich peasants or dominated by all sorts of backward peasant consciousness, such as the ideas of absolute egalitarianism and localism. In places
where the poor peasant league has not yet been organized, the agricultural
workers' union or the activists among poor peasants should take the initiative.
The unions of agricultural workers and craftsmen should try to pass motions at
their own congresses about having their membership join the poor peasant
league in a body, so as to bring about a constant leading role for the proletariat in
the
poor peasant league.
5. When the poor peasant league is initially organized, it should only recruit
the activists among the poor peasants and then gradually become a mass organization of all the poor peasants. In order to attract all the poor peasant masses to
join the poor peasant league (of course, those bad elements who sabotage the
agrarian struggle and shield landlords and rich peasants are not allowed to join
the poor peasant league even if they are poor peasants), old members of the poor
peasant league should often take the responsibility of doing propaganda work in
order to expand the membership of the league. They should actively look for
poor peasants and agricultural workers to join the poor peasant league. The
league should not require any formalities of recommendation, but open its doors
wide to all the workers and poor peasants. It should inform them and guide them
in joining the poor peasant league. In principle, joining the poor peasant league
should be voluntary, and all the workers and peasants, men and women, old and

young, can apply to join. The method of assigning memberships to each household is wrong. In order that landlords and rich peasants may be strictly prevented
from sneaking into the poor peasant league, the class status of all new members,
whether they have been recruited by the old members or joined the poor peasant
league voluntarily, should be investigated, according to the criteria for analyzing
classes. If someone is found who does not have the right class status, he should
be immediately expelled, so as to make sure that landlords and rich peasants
cannot sneak into the poor peasant league.
6. During the land struggle or the Land Investigation Movement, if a poor
peasant league, because it is disorganized and useless, or has fallen into the
hands of a few landlords and rich peasants and plays an adverse role, is dissolved
and reorganized, using commandist methods, this is cutting oneself off from the
masses, and is completely wrong. The correct method in such circumstances is to
unite the activists in the poor peasant league and strengthen their education, and
then to launch a fierce struggle within the league to expose the deceptive
schemes of the landlords and rich peasants, to help the masses of members get
rid of the influence of landlord and rich peasant elements, and to eliminate from
the poor peasant league landlord and rich peasant elements and a few extremely
bad elements who are beyond education, so as to enhance the combat strength of
the poor peasant league and to achieve a complete victory in the agrarian struggle and the Land Investigation Movement. If there are middle peasants who have
joined the poor peasant league, they should not simply be expelled like landlords
and rich peasants. There must be a clear explanation to them of why it is unnecessary for them to join the poor peasant league. After they leave the league,
middle peasants can still come to listen when the poor peasant league is having a
meeting. All the middle peasants should be welcome to listen at the meetings of
the poor peasant league.
7. Since the poor peasant league is not purely an organization of a single
class, it does not need a tight organizational form like that of a labor union. It
does not need definite regulations, nor does it require payment of dues. (If
money is needed for expenses, a donation may be launched among the members
with the approval of the general meeting.) Still less does it need a systematic
organization at the provincial, xian, and district levels; it simply organizes the
poor peasants with the township as a unit. Below the level of the township poor
peasant league, it is divided into small groups. These may be organized with a
hamlet (that is, a small village) as the unit. The members of the poor peasant
league in one hamlet are organized into one small group. If one hamlet has only
a few families and therefore only a few members, then a small group may be
organized around two or three neighboring hamlets. If a hamlet has several
dozen or more families and therefore many members, then several small groups
may be organized within one hamlet.
8. For the sake of convenience in advancing the work of the poor peasant
league, three people (the most active elements) should be elected by the general

meeting to form a committee. A poor peasant league in a relatively large
township, or one with many members, may elect five people to form a committee. The committee selects a chairman to take charge of the overall work.
Apart from that, no separate working departments should be established. The
poor peasant league should practice revolutionary democracy on a broad
scale. All the members must be summoned to meetings to discuss important
matters that arise. Only routine matters can be discussed solely by the committee. Or the committee may summon the leaders of the small groups to
participate in the discussion.
9. The general meeting of the poor peasant league and the meetings of the
committee and the small groups need not follow a fixed schedule mechanically,
in order to avoid formalism, which would reduce the interest of the masses of the
members. Whenever important matters arise, a meeting should be held immediately. When the class struggle in the countryside is particularly intense, as at
the time of land reform and of the Land Investigation Movement, a general
meeting should be held once every three, four, five, or six days, and committee
and small group meetings should be held once every two or three days.
10. The work of the poor peasant league consists in paying constant attention
to the interests of workers, poor peasants, and middle peasants, and in the struggle for consolidating and promoting the political power of the soviets. The important work of the poor peasant league is listed below:
a. Holding discussions on the matters concerning the confiscation and
redistribution of land, houses, farm tools, and property of the despotic gentry
and landlords, and the confiscation and distribution of land and surplus cattle,
farm tools, and houses of rich peasants. In discussing these matters, the central question is how to deal with the resistance from landlords and rich peasants, and how to ensure that the benefits of the agrarian revolution go entirely
to the workers and the poor and middle peasants. Here special attention
should be paid to not violating the interests of middle peasants and uniting
closely with the middle peasants. Attention must also be paid to wiping out
thoroughly the feudal forces in the countryside and preventing landlords and
rich peasants from passing themselves off as poor and middle peasants in
order to steal land benefits. We must see to it that not one landlord is left with
a single inch of land and not one rich peasant steals a single plot of good land.
b. Holding discussions on agricultural production, such as how to carry
out the campaigns for spring and summer plowing and for autumn harvesting
and plowing, as well as on the problems that arise in the course of production
campaigns in various seasons, including how to increase labor power, accumulate more manure, improve seeding, build irrigation works, redistribute
farm cattle, add more farm tools, eliminate insect pests, open up wasteland,
and plant trees and protect mountain forests.
c. Holding discussions on problems of economic mobilization. In addition
to the aforementioned matters of agricultural production, the main thing is to

discuss how to develop cooperatives, such as food cooperatives, consumer
cooperatives, credit cooperatives, production cooperatives, and cooperatives
for draft oxen, and how to help the national economy develop on a large
scale, so as to resist the cruel exploitation by the merchants and smash the
economic blockade by the enemy, while further improving the well-being of
the masses and providing the revolutionary war with abundant strength.
d. Holding discussions on problems of famine and disaster relief, such as
providing mutual help in food, cattle, and farm tools during famine and natural disasters and providing relief to the victims in the areas harassed and
wrecked by the enemy troops.
e. Holding discussions on questions concerning the health of the masses,
such as initiating general campaigns of paying attention to hygiene, emphasizing frequent cleaning and sweeping, and reducing the incidence of sickness
and disease, so as to protect the health of the masses.
f. Holding discussions on the problem of giving favorable treatment to the
Red Army, such as cultivating and harvesting on the public land of the Red
Army and storage of grain; helping the families of the Red Army to cultivate
their land; and carrying out the regulations for providing favorable treatment
to the Red Army.
g. Holding discussions on problems of mobilization for war. Here the first
thing to do is to expand the Red Army, the second thing is to raise funds for
supporting the Red Army, the third thing is to send greetings and regards to
the Red Army, and the fourth thing is to expand the Red Guards and Young
Pioneers. All these are extremely important questions regarding mobilization
for war.
h. Holding discussions on questions regarding participation in the election campaigns of the soviets and in the accusation movement,¹ such as
how to make sure that the activists among the workers and poor peasants
will be chosen in elections and the best middle peasants will be attracted
to work in the soviet. When class-alien elements have sneaked into the
soviet, or when there is corruption and slackness in the work, the poor
peasant league should participate in the accusation movement called for by
the Commissariat of the Workers' and Peasants' Procuratorate and in
launching self-criticism among the working personnel in the soviet, so as
to perfect the work of the soviet.
i. Holding discussions on the problem of carrying out fully all the laws,
regulations, resolutions, and orders issued by the soviets in the township in
question.

1. Regarding the accusation movement, see below the relevant note to the directive of
August 9, 1933.

j. Holding discussions on all important problems that arise at any moment. The poor peasant league must constantly pay attention to the discussion
of the aforementioned problems and actively make suggestions to the government. Under the leadership of the government, they should resolutely participate in the struggles on all the revolutionary fronts and fully accomplish
various revolutionary tasks. Only thus can the poor peasant league continue to
have its own regular work, truly work for the interests of the workers, poor
peasants, and middle peasants, and not become an organization in name only.
11. In order to consolidate further the leadership of the rural proletariat over
the broad masses of peasants, the committee of the poor peasant league (a few
selected poor peasant activists may also be invited to participate) may propose a
joint meeting with the leading organs of the agricultural workers' union and the
handicraft workers' union. Such meetings are to be summoned by the labor
unions. Joint meetings may be held to discuss such matters as organizing a
committee to support the Red Army, forming an alliance to oppose imperialism
and support the Soviet Union, organizing revolutionary mutual aid associations,
as well as certain commemorative meetings and demonstrations. Once unanimous agreement is reached, joint efforts should be undertaken to realize these
goals.

Chairman of the Central
Government
Vice-Chairmen
Mao Zedong
Xiang Ying
Zhang Guotao