A Comment on the Term “Middle-Middle Peasant” [1]
(September 16, 1955)

Comrades Xiaoping, Zihui, Boda, and Luyan[2] for reading; to be forwarded to Comrade Du Runsheng for handling. I believe Comrade Xiaoping’s opinion is correct.

Mao Zedong
September 16

[1] This comment was written on a letter dated September 13, 1955, from Deng Xiaoping, Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, forwarding to Mao Zedong a report from Du Runsheng, Secretary-General of the Central Rural Work Department, regarding Hebei Province’s response to the use of the term “middle-middle peasant.” Du Runsheng reported that Hebei had called to inquire: Should the middle-middle peasants among the old middle peasants be classified as lower-middle peasants or upper-middle peasants? Some believed they should be classified as lower-middle peasants, because in reality they are close to those who are not well-off; some believed they should be classified directly as upper-middle peasants, on the grounds that classifying them as lower-middle peasants would expand the scope of those to be relied upon, making it difficult to properly rely on those who should be relied upon; still others believed it would be appropriate for the entire stratum of old middle peasants to basically fall within the scope of those to be united with. In his letter to Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping expressed his own opinions: (1) The term “middle-middle peasant” should no longer be used. (2) Judging from the political and economic conditions of the old middle peasants, it is only appropriate to classify that portion of them whose livelihood is impoverished as lower-middle peasants. (3) It is not appropriate to classify the majority of the old middle peasants as lower-middle peasants. (4) Most importantly: Do not determine household by household who is an upper-middle peasant or a lower-middle peasant. In fact, those who joined the cooperatives in the first and second batches can generally only be those who are relatively poor and hard-pressed (of course, there are also a small number of upper-middle peasants with relatively high political consciousness). From their attitude toward whether they are willing to join the cooperatives, one can roughly determine to which category they belong.

[2] Zihui, namely Deng Zihui, then Director of the Central Rural Work Department of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Boda, namely Chen Boda, then Deputy Director of the Central Rural Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. Luyan, namely Liao Luyan, then Deputy Director of the Central Rural Work Department of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Agriculture.