HAIL THE IMMORTAL CONTRIBUTION OF LEGENDARY COMRADE JAN MYRDAL ON PASSING AWAY FEW DAYS AGO- 30 OCTOBER Part 2

By Harsh Thakor

 

TRANSFORMATION

 

The Cultural Revolution did not emerge sporadically, or a struggle lasting a few days or few weeks. It took 2 years and five weeks to form a revolutionary committee following the guidance of the August 8t 1966 resolution. The Revolutionary Committee was not formed by purely formal decision but through protracted process of discussion and criticism.

At Liu Lung two groups initiated the Cultural Revolution: the literate and politically active youngsters who compared the words of Mao with what was really going on in the village, and the older poor peasants and early communists. These groups mobilized everyone in the brigade to a discussion to present their criticism.

The people's welfare reached egalitarian standards never attained before like a new world created. Everyone in a collective was guaranteed of enough food, enough clothes, enough fuel, an honourable funeral and education for his children. A peoples Commune did not only mean simplified administration and broader democracy but gave greater security. In 1962 grain was distributed to needy families. Social aid was abolished. The average grain consumption was 21.5 kg. per person, of this 172 consisted of basic guarantee ,paid out to everyone:

There were now only 2 households in Liu Ling labour brigade which were in a situation where they required special help from the Political work transformed people's thinking to reject concepts like aid when its a question of ensuring the old and sick daily requirements. At Liu Ling there was no 'free food' or collective dining halls. Nor was the new reform of distribution system the same thing as 'free; food.

The Cultural Revolution has been apolitical revolution and meant deeper democracy. The poor and middle peasants exercise a broad democracy, where the decisions are all made at public meetings ad a general discussion implement economic policy and those reforms which are in the interest f the masses. Above all value of labour was never undermined and the administration was not rendered inefficient.

 

TUNH YANG CHEN IN WORLD POLITICS

 

Soviet revisionist propaganda and Liu Shao Chi's rightist line was refuted at its deepest core. Tung Yan Chen was classical example of someone who at the very heart participated in the criticism of August 1966. Applying Mao thought the party secretary Feng, was taken to task for divorcing himself from the masses. He neglected construction work. In the spring of 1967 a construction team was formed and those capable of heaviest work joined it. Although chosen as work leader I received no extra pay. Studying Mao thought guided us to level the fields in the valley. They had to be surrounded with embankments to prevent erosion The little fields had to be blinded together into larger ones, and the earth cleared of stones.

In the Autumn of 1967 and spring of 1968 we dug 3 wells and terraced 3 slopes. The terracing stops the erosion and the rainwater is retained wit the harvest becoming bigger. On the slopes the yields yield about 100 jin per mu. After terracing the fields yielded 300 jin per MU. Down in the valley where soil is better the terracing elevates the yield to 300-500 jin per mu. Last winter we dug three more big wells and irrigated 60 more mu.

There was nothing dreamy or romantic about Mao's line. It related with historical necessities and with the needs of the vast majority in the given situation one had to begin to solve problems by collective effort and organization before mechanization was possible.

Liu Shao Chi was still the spokesman of a trend and won the support of the rich peasants, bourgeoisie and well to do middle peasants. The Cultural Revolution was not a struggle between Mao and Liu but between different classes and their representatives in China. The Cultural Revolution was a social struggle. Ideologically he infiltrated or permeated several spheres because the class struggle in China was not over. New privileged classes were striving for power in the countryside after the defeat of the landlords and inside the party itself the representatives of the old scholar bureaucrats were once more emerging. Liu's ideology was a manifestation of their goals.  

The path of Liu Shao Chi would have concentrated capital in a few hands and push the majority of the population at subsistence level. Light Industries would have been dismantled. Unemployment and capitalist agriculture would have been created and millions of Chinese peasants would have been forced to the cities. Land reform would have perpetrated new class distinctions in the countryside and the Chinese revolution would have remained a mere peasant revolution.  

Mao has never been a peasant revolutionary. Mao's line is coherent with the realities of the Chinese countryside and commands the support of the poor and middle peasants. This was the view endorsed by Tung Yang Chen. Mao Tse Tung thought is the fulcrum of the work in Liu Ling. Without it's guidance Tung Yan Chen would have aspired to be a rich peasant hiring labourers.

Tung Yang Chen was the perfect mascot of the 2 line struggle supporting Mao thought waged against Liu Shao Chi's revisionist line, with his very practice symbolizing it's essence and the demarcation of Mao's ideology from that of Liu Shao Chi. He began to read during the Cultural Revolution. The progress of Tung Yang Chen and other comrades is a testimony to the correctness of Mao's line.

  

NOODLES, PIGS AND REVOLUTION

 

In Liu Ling the brigades ran whole industries. It had its noodle factory. The raw materials were derived from the village's own agriculture. Now these raw materials are worked up in the brigade and the noodles are sold as a finished product in the town. The brigades own households can buy noodles at a special price. Quoting worker Li Kou Wan "It was only by reading Chairman Mao I got the right attitude to work and understand the process here at the whole factory. The noodle factory uses our .own raw materials and gives the brigade extra income. 

Pig sties were also built in the noodle factories. Thus the brigade could supply the household with domestic pigs. Now the household waste could be utilized better and the family's meat consumption increased -each household was now slaughtering and eating one fated pig a year. The goal was for each household to breed two domestic pigs a year to enable the village to contribute to the city's meat supply and obtain extra income from the families.

A most efficient form of vegetable cultivation was organised. Yield was increased from 7000-8000 gin to 14000-15000 Jin per mou. Mao Tse Tung thought again was instrumental in this. Now unlike before, leading cadres participate in production. Profit is not the criteria for work, but service to the community. Animal manure can now raised from quantity of 4000 gin per mou to 12000 jin per mu. Again studying Moa played a crucial role. We increased the available manure by organizing thing sin such a manner that brigades could supply all households with piglets. Sties were thus built outside noodle factories. The labour group for vegetable cultivation credits each household with work points for manure. Now we use human excrement for the collective good of the vegetable team and not for our own private plots as before. Work points are accordingly awarded.

  

HOW WORK IS TO BE EVALUATED

 

A new form of calculating income from work was devised. In the new system of economic distribution all members whether working or not, should enjoy basic security in the form of grain. All forms of piece work were abolished. Only daily work attendance was recorded. Whether one dug or harvested, fetched manure from town or worked at the noodle factory, the day's work had the same value. Thus the nature of the job made no bearing on the income. 

Earlier people were victims of Liu Shao Chi's black line which patronized the opportunists to make money for themselves. People working in collectives were denied proper incomes while opportunists invested in short term projects. Only a small group of leading cadres, distributed the work ,bonuses were awarded and people could obtain money for themselves that in reality ought to have been used for collective use.

In Autumn 1969 collectively the red guards launched a criticism against Mau ke Yeh, chairman of the Liu Ling Labour brigade's supervisory Committee. Mau was a proponent of the Liu Shao Chi Line and the red guards won the hearts of the masses. The red guards were critical of Mao not being critical of cadres.

In December 1966 Mau now mad a self-criticism which the red guards and masses accepted. Although he had spoken out against wrong practices of cadres his criticisms were silenced.

A profound criticism was made at Liu Ling where leading party members were exposed and dismissed. Soviet revisionist politics was grossly attacked. Most significant illustrations highlighted were those of Mau Pei hsin,Chi Ching Chou,Kao pin ying,Lo Han Hong, Ching chung ying, Liu Teh Ching, and Tsa Chen kuei. They highlighted the big character posters, criticism of the education system by pupils, reliance on cadres by the masses, self-criticism even of poor peasants, scope of masses to check the administration, democratic advance of the revolutionary committee and workers participation in management.

Intellectuals were re-educated by peasants and workers and transformed through manual labour. On passing graduation students participated in production of cotton.

The education system was totally revamped with formal exam s abolished .Race for high marks essay writings, was smashed by students. Pupils exposed the pro-landlord nature of the old examination system and how even after the revolution old ideas permeated in new forms. Youngsters had to learn everything from the ground by participating in all sorts of work be it in the fruit Orchard, vegetable growing group, threshing , construction work or even cleaning latrines.

Mao Tse Tung thought teachings were taught at the very root and related in relation to the given tasks.

 

THE YOUNG INTELLECTUALS

 

Li Shiu Mei was twenty five and graduated from Sian. She summarized the confrontation of the students after initiating a campaign in the educational institute in the with party representatives who attempted to obstruct their movements using the entire authority of the party against them. In retaliation the students barricaded themselves inside a classroom to read Chairman Mao, after the authorities tried to lock them up.

Li Chi Shen recounted how wrong methods were attacked in schools and the importance of class struggle against socialism. The manner Soviet revisionism was combated at it's very backbone was narrated .The students marched into villages and straight into the administrative organ sin towns to initiate discussions. An example was given of a meeting on 20th August when all 1000 pupils of their school was organized. It was a result of the August 18th call where the masses educated themselves and all leaders were elected from below. The students organized themselves into groups which made long journeys throughout the country Here comrades from various parts of the countryside were met and mutual exchanges were made. Students also integrated with the workers in the factories. Li went to a tractor station in Yenan working in daytime and making revolution in the evening. There she was elected secretary of the school's brigade of Red Guards.

Kao Yu Chin who was an engineer and youth league secretary of his college unit described the meticulous ideological training among party members. He narrated how youth went to factories and farms in all parts of the country and exchanged experiences with red guards. The establishing of a revolutionary Committee in July 1967 in his college was highlighted. Tow long preparatory marches were staged to Chengta and Chungking.

 

WOMEN

 

Women were studying works of Chairman Mao. During the Cultural Revolution nine women learned to read. The Cultural Revolution raised the age of marriage for girls. Men now had to support women in household work. When women went to political meetings men had to undertake the household chores. The daughters now had the same rights as a son.

 

HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM

 

On 13th January 1969 a health insurance fund was formed, which was morally co-operative medicine. In every brigade it was introduced .All members of Liu Ling brigade were assured of free services of a doctor and free medicine. In emergency, peasants could be remitted to nearby hospital.

The brigade also paid all the salaries of the medical personnel. A health insurance fund was established contributing basic sum of 2000 y.

The commonest ailments were rheumatism and influenza. Acupuncture was utilized to cure rheumatism, painful conditions of various types, stress illnesses, stomach ulcers as well as types of deafness and blindness.

Wang Yua Lan who was 39 recounted how she became a member of the revolutionary committee and was industrious but never spoke up at meetings which was selfish. She made a self-criticism of protecting her self interests. Studying Mao created a transformation within her to make up her own mind. In earlier times women could play no role in the political process, being bound to their homes.