Chinese peasant and Communism DBQ Essay

Between circa 1925 and circa 1950, the relations between the Chinese peasants and the Chinese Communist Party became out of hand due to the peasant rebellions/uprising groups present, the tension between Japan and the communist party, and most notable the mass reform during this time period. In 1927 the rising leader of the Chinese Communist party was acknowledging that soon the upsurge of peasant rebellion was soon, and that will soon rise up and overpower the wealthy landowning class. (DOC 1). In 1941 a Japanese official report had noted that due to extreme similarities between the peasants and local communist guerrilla unit. These similarities would’ve made it hard from a commoner point of view to distinguish between the two groups, and allowing the rebels to remain hidden easier. (DOC 3). William Hinton of the Chinese Communist Land reform reported that in 1948, the arming of the peasants to fight Japan had a substantial effect. Arming of the peasants gave them a trouble-free way to rise up and make the landlords pay for their abuse and make them repay the overcharges and restore land to proper owners. (DOC 6). As the peasants where preoccupied in their uprising the Communist party struggled to attract the peasant population to their side in fighting Japan. An Additional document that may help strengthen this argument would be a journal from a noble in a city or town close to the heart of China where the uprisings where present. As Communist China strived to attract the peasant majority to fight against China it brought quite a lot of tension throughout the state. The attraction began in 1942 with a report from the Communist Central Committee implying that the peasants contribute to the basic strength of the Anti-Japanese War. That they must improve life for the peasants and grant more rights if they even wish to have them voluntarily fight for them.(DOC 5). A report was released in 1942 that gave descriptions of the result of Japanese attack on Chinese soil. Most of the statistics used in the report may have been false in the communists endeavor to gain the peasant population.(DOC 4). However in  the communists pursuit they had persuaded some people of the peasant community. A conversation between a teenage peasant and his grandfather explained some of the goods that communism had brought to the Chinese. From the grandfather’s point of view, Communism had brought nothing but greatness to the Chinese state, but at the time period such claims would often be argued, thus building tension.(DOC 2). With the prevalent tension and the armed peasants it led to a mass reform during this period. An Addition document that may help in this would most definitely be a journal from a pro Communism and anti Communism to see the variety of views on the group. With the uprisings become stronger, and tensions building greater it led to a massive reform across the state. The reforms began first in 1948 with the arming of the peasants in China to fight against Japan, with the peasants armed it had prompted rebellion against the landlords taking the power from them and taking back what was originally theirs. (DOC 6). With the picture of the peasant sticking their tongue out to the landlord shows how the power has shifted quite massively. The fact that struggle meetings where organized in the land reform process quite well shows that the peasants have the power now.(DOC 9). In the same year of 1950, along with change of power there was also a change in life for women, and rights for them. There was establishment of a democratic marriage system prompted equal rights to women and freedom for whom they partner with.(DOC 8). Prior to the new marriage system and land reform it was prompted by the abolishment of the landlord class, and a peasant land ownership was established. Giving the peasants more freedom in their lives, then leading to the equal rights for woman and marriage.(DOC 7). With all the various reforms during this time the peasants point of view must be confident in their abilities how they have essentially rose to the top. I feel another good document to support my claims would simply be a report from a Communist general on his views of the massive reform the peasants had ignited. Throughout circa 1925 and circa 1950 across the Chinese Civil War and Anti-Japanese war the relations between the peasants of China and the Communist party grew out of hand. Due to the increasing of peasants uprising and rebellions, in addition to the tension built between the anti Communism  and pro Communism peasants, and to finish the mass amounts of reform occurring during the era.