Agrarian Reform Law & Attacks on Landlords

Question 1

1. When was A.R.L introduced?
   - What was its main aim?
2. What happened to landlords who exploited peasants?
   - What happened to their land?
3. PROBLEMS: Land reform at already begun in the North. What % of farmers actually rented land?

Answer 1

1. June 1950.
   - To destroy landlords as a class.
2. Property seized, many sentenced to death.
   - Redistributed amongst peasants.
3. 10-15%.

Question 2

1. What was land ownership and production organised by?
   - What were many of these based on?
2. In some areas occupied by the CCP, what had peasants hoped the new regime would provide?
   - These peasants were useful ______, and the CCP did not want to ______ them.
3. In the South, who retained control?
   - Therefore, who was more influential?

Answer 2

1. Clans with a wide range of class members.
   - Family ties and kinship.
2. Stability, peace and raised living standards.
   - Support, alienate.
3. GMD.
   - Landlords.

Question 3

1. Who were sent to the countryside to organise land reform?
2. What did they organise peasants into?
   - What were peasants then encouraged to do?
   - What were landlords subjected to?
3. What sometimes escalated beyond what Work Teams recommended?
4. What were landlords used as?

Answer 3

1. Work Teams.
2. Poor Peasant Associations.
   - Round up landlords.
   - Struggle meetings.
3. Violence.
4. Scapegoat to whip up class consciousness and conflict.

Question 4

1. What % of households took part in early land reform?
2. __% of land was redistributed to __% of pop.
3. What was the rate of increase of agricultural production per annum between 1950 and 52? (%)
4. However, how many landlords were killed?

Answer 4

1. 90%.
2. 40%, 60%.
3. 15%.
4. 1-2 million. Horrific human cost.