Formation and Development of China's Rural Cooperative System(1919-1958): With Influences of Western's Utopian Socialism and Cooperative Ideas

Abstract

This study is mainly to investigate the influences of both Western's utopian socialism and cooperatives ideas on the process of China's rural cooperation from 1919(the occurrence of 5.4 movement) to 1958(the completion of People's commune). To accomplish this, first, we will discuss that how these two ideas emerged as an alternative to Western capitalism in the before/early 20th century were introduced into China and how these ideas effected on the process of the China's Communist Revolution. Then, we will review the process of China's rural cooperation during the 1950s' new socialist nation-building period since the foundation of New China(1949), the sharp debates about rural cooperation in the process of its realization, and the reasons of radically promoting rural cooperation in the late 1950s. Finally, through these debates and experiences regarding rural cooperation in rural China during 1919-1958, any implications in solving rural cooperation problems of contemporary China facing difficulties will be provided.