In rural China, socialist country

Author: Freeman (USA), Bi Kewei (USA), Sai Erden Tao Huoshan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-03-01
Features: This book narrates and explores a series of reforms carried out by the Communist Party of China in rural society in North China during the war period and after the victory of the revolution. It analyzes the impact of these reforms on rural society and farmers at different times, their role in the war and national construction, as well as their relationship with traditional culture. These analyses and discussions provide broad reference value for further understanding and recognizing the changes in modern rural society in North China. China's Village, Socialist State takes Wugu Village in Raoyang County, Hebei Province, as a case study, following the life of its leader Geng Changsuo as a, to delve into the changes in North China's rural society from the 1920s and 1930s to the 1960s. The authors focus on a series of reforms carried out by the Communist Party of China in rural society during the war period and after the revolution, from rent and interest reduction to mutual aid groups and cooperatives, to the People's Communes during the Great Leap Forward. They analyze the impact of these reforms on rural society and farmers, their role in the war and national construction, and their relationship with traditional culture. The book further explores the relationship between the state and rural society, as well as between state leadership and local cadres. The authors of this book are professors of political science, sociology, and history. They are among the first American scholars to come to China after the reform and opening-up to conduct humanities and social sciences research. Starting in 1978, they conducted surveys, interviews, and research in Wugu Village, Raoyang, and Shijiazhuang, reviewing relevant materials, and talked with hundreds of farmers and cadres at various levels, examining numerous archival and primary materials. As a result, they collected a wealth of firsthand data, establishing the research on a solid foundation. At the same time, the authors do not simply list materials or stop at general narration and introduction. Instead, they use Wugu Village as a typical example of modern changes in North China's rural society, placing it in a dynamic historical context for examination. They apply theories from their respective disciplines to explore the interactive relationship between the state and society, as well as between the present and the past in this process of change. This makes the book both readable in its narrative and theoretically profound. The book provides a valuable approach for understanding and recognizing the changes in modern rural society in China, especially in North China, and offers significant reference value for research on rural issues in modern China. Target Audience: Researchers and educators in modern Chinese history, social history, rural issues, and other fields, as well as educators in the history of the Communist Party of China.