Modifications to the Draft of the Report’s Remarks [1]
(July 22, 1956)

The second item in the report [2] “Settling Accounts for the Peasants” is a very important issue. Although there are certain discrepancies between this method of calculation and the actual taxes and peasant burdens, at present, in many places, there is still no clear understanding of this issue, nor has it received the attention it deserves. In order to change this situation and truly understand the economic conditions of the peasants, Party committees at all levels should conduct such investigations. Prefectural and county Party committees should carry out investigations in one or two townships or in one or two cooperatives, and the provincial, municipal, and autonomous regional Party committees should select one or two counties to directly conduct typical investigations. This work should be arranged in the summer in preparation for use in the autumn. The situation in Linhai County described in Comrade Wang Guanlan’s report is one in which the peasants are unable to increase their income. If there are many such counties, then the matter cannot be viewed with optimism and warrants serious attention. Please investigate how many counties under your jurisdiction are in a situation similar to Linhai, and how many are better off than Linhai, get a clear picture, and cable us the information. It is earnestly hoped!

[1] Wang Guanlan was then Deputy Director of the Rural Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. The text printed in Song typeface in this document consists of words added and revised by Mao Zedong.
[2] Refers to the second item of Wang Guanlan’s report to the CPC Central Committee on June 12, 1956, concerning the rural situation in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. This item mainly discusses the issue of settling accounts for the peasants. The report states that an account was settled for the income and expenditure of peasants’ farming and sideline occupations in Linhai County, Zhejiang. In agriculture, based on an average of about 1.3 mu of land per person and an average annual yield of 485 jin per mu, after deducting agricultural tax and production costs (seeds, fertilizer, etc.), each person could roughly obtain 454 jin of unhusked grain, equivalent to 31.8 yuan, or 2.65 yuan per month. In sideline occupations, necessary materials for a detailed account could not be found. According to 1955 statistics, the output value of sideline occupations and native special products in Zhejiang accounted for over 35 percent of the total output value of agriculture and sideline occupations, but currently all show a declining trend. Pig raising in Linhai County has only completed half of this year’s plan. Therefore, the monthly income per peasant household, including sideline occupations, is generally only a little over four yuan, and the livelihood of the majority of peasants remains impoverished. They are very sensitive to many economic measures concerning peasant interests.