Book: Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan

Introduction
"Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan" is an influential work by Mao Zedong released in March 1927, which laid the structure for the rural technique of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the years to come. In this book, Mao critiques the intelligentsia and the misunderstanding they held towards the peasants in Hunan province. He argues that the peasants are the force that will reinvent China, and the peasant movement is the driving force behind this transformation. Mao's analysis of the peasant movement in Hunan would later on become a key element in his formulation of the political and military method that ultimately led the CCP to victory in the Chinese Civil War.

The Peasant Movement
Mao's report is based on his examination of the peasant motion in Hunan Province in between late 1926 and early 1927. Having taken a company position in support of the peasant motion, Mao intended to eliminate the mistaken beliefs held by the intelligentsia and the "property owner class", believing that they did not comprehend the real nature of the peasant masses' political and financial battle. He observed that the peasant movement was quickly developing and transforming the political landscape of rural China, with countless peasants arranging themselves into associations, seizing power from the property manager class, and defending their rights.

Mao divides the peasant motion into four phases - the organizing phase, the phase of moderate action, the stage of revolutionary action, and the phase of reducing counter-revolutionaries. During the arranging phase, peasant associations started propagating their objectives and enlisting members. The stage of moderate action included convincing landlords to lower rent and rate of interest; however, peasants were consulted with strong resistance in numerous instances.

In the stage of revolutionary action, peasants took significant procedures to retaliate versus overbearing landlords and assert their rights. They started boycotting and assaulting proprietors, often even using violent methods. Nevertheless, Mao stresses that the violence perpetrated by the peasants was a needed procedure, reflective of their long-suppressed anger and resentment against the gentility. The last, suppressing counter-revolutionaries, connects to the required defense mechanisms adopted by the peasants against the extreme and continued attempts by the proprietors to reduce the transformation and maintain the status quo.

Mao's Key Insights
Mao emphasizes the significance of understanding the peasant motion and urges the intelligentsia to not underestimate its revolutionary potential. He competes that the peasant masses possess both the potency and the right to revolt against the overbearing property owner class, as it is the only way to topple feudalism and build a new, fair society.

One of Mao's groundbreaking insights from the report is the importance of empowering rural peasants as an advanced force. He recommends that the CCP must concentrate on arranging and mobilizing the large rural population of China, instead of just counting on city workers. This insight would later end up being a key tenet of Mao's innovative strategy.

Furthermore, Mao exposes the idea that the CCP ought to maintain a neutral stance in the peasant movement. He asserts that the Party needs to support and lead the peasants in their struggles, as their triumph is closely tied to the CCP's success in the revolution.

Conclusion
"Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan" remains a vital work in Mao Zedong's ideological advancement and the development of the CCP's political method. Mao's analysis of the peasant movement and its advanced potential exceptionally affected the Chinese revolution and strengthened the significance of the rural masses in the CCP's method. The report highlights the insights and point of views that Mao acquired from his on-the-ground examination and propagates the message that the peasant motion is important to the general success of China's transformation.
Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan
Original Title: 湖南农民运动考察报告

An examination of the Hunan peasant movement led by the Communist Party of China, where Mao Zedong analyzes the socio-economic background, successes, and challenges faced by the movement.


Author: Mao Zedong

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