The impact of agricultural collectivization on participatory communication: a case study of the Maoist literacy movement

Abstract

Participatory development communication is often hindered by two major obstacles: insufficient funding and community residents’ reluctance to participate. This article proposes that agricultural collectivization can serve as an institutional prerequisite for overcoming these obstacles. Collectivization establishes a new property rights system and labor relations that facilitate labor-intensive projects, thereby reducing the costs of participatory approaches. Moreover, the new labor relations and distribution system shape peasants’ preferences and behaviors, motivating them to engage in public affairs. Through a case study of the literacy movement in Mao-era China, the latter part of the paper provides a detailed description and analysis of the mechanisms through which collectivization impacted participatory communication. In the end, the paper highlights the importance of considering the relations of production when examining the relationship between communication and development.