K. This is the 1st working draft of vol. VI. It still ... - From Marx to Mao

402 MAO TSE-TUNG
ties between the army and the people. The following outlines our
experience over the past three years in agricultural, industrial and
commercial operations.
(A) Agriculture
In response to the call for a production movement, we began agricultural
production in 1940. We planned to plough and plant
enough land to be self-sufficient for two months’ grain, to be entirely
self-sufficient in vegetables from the summer onwards, and to
raise enough pigs to cover our meat requirement for the New Year
FROM MARX
TO MAO
festivities. However, since the areas where we were stationed in
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Suide, Mizhi and Wuqi Counties were heavily populated with little
spare land, we had to travel to places over 100 li away (Jiulishan
and Qingjian) to open up new land and wasted a lot of time in travel.
Although enthusiastic and taking trouble, we did not investigate
carefully nor plan suitably. As a result, the harvest did not match
the capital spent on tools and seeds. However, the vegetables planted
near where we were stationed enabled us to be self-sufficient for
these after the summer. Each provisions unit was issued 0.10 yuan
provisions expenses per man per day, barely enough to buy oil and
salt. The troops had to NOT go up to 100 FOR li away carrying charcoal for
sale. They earned enough to make more charcoal and a surplus to
buy pigs for raising. These productive activities laid the foundations
for the companies COMMERCIAL
to improve provisions. Apart from opening
up all the public unused land (public cemeteries, the neighbourhood
of temples, odd pieces of land near cities, stretches of old unused
road, old military defence works, etc.) around the towns of Suide,
Mizhi, Jiaxian, DISTRIBUTION
Wuqi and Qingjian where we were stationed and
along the river defences, we also rented land from the local inhabitants
to plant vegetables. The spirit of bitter struggle and hard work
of the commanders and troops gained great sympathy and understanding
from people of all walks of life. Some of the landlords from
whom we rented land (like the landlords and rich peasants of
Yihezhen) would not accept our rent payments. Other poor peasants
voluntarily granted temporary tenant rights. This came from
the deep sympathy and concern of the people for the army. For those
stationed in poor agricultural regions, particularly those where the
climate only suited summer and autumn crops, agricultural produc-