Peasants without the Party

Exploring the question of whether China's peasantry was a revolutionary force, this volume pays particular attention to the first half of the 20th century, when peasant-based conflict was central to nationwide revolutionary processes. It traces key themes of social conflict and peasant resistance.

Exploring one of the most dynamic and contested regions of the world, this series includes works on political, economic, cultural, and social changes in modern and contemporary Asia and the Pacific. The leading specialist on China's twentieth century peasant resistance reexamines, in bold and original ways, the question: Was the Chinese peasantry a revolutionary force? Where most scholarly attention has focused on Communist-led peasant movements, Bianco's story is one of peasant thought and action largely unmediated by modern political parties. This volume pays particular attention to the first half of the twentieth century when peasant-based conflict, ranging from tax and food protests to secret society conflicts, opium struggles, inter-communal conflicts, and tenant protests over rent, was central to nationwide revolutionary processes.

Autorentext

Lucien Bianco

Zusammenfassung
Exploring the question of whether China's peasantry was a revolutionary force, this volume pays particular attention to the first half of the 20th century, when peasant-based conflict was central to nationwide revolutionary processes. It traces key themes of social conflict and peasant resistance.

Inhalt
Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1. Secret Societies and Peasant Self-Defense, 19211933; 2. Reflections on Chinese Peasants and Revolution; 3. A Peasant Revolution?; 4. How Credible Are the Numbers?; 5. Peasant Uprisings Against Poppy-Tax Collection in Suxian and Lingbi (Anhui) in 1932; 6. The Responses of Opium Growers to Eradication Campaigns and the Poppy Tax, 19071949; 7. Resistance to Land Rent, 18951949; 8. Looting and Food Riots; 9. Early Twentieth-Century Xiedou; 10. Xiedou during the Second Half of the Twentieth Century; 11. Peasant Responses to the Chinese Communist Party Mobilization Policies, 19371945; 12. Peasant Resistance in the PRC; 13. Weak Weapons; Appendix 1: Time Distribution of Rural Disturbances; Appendix 2: Cases of Peasant Resistance to Opium Eradication Campaigns, 19071949; Appendix 3: Cases of Peasant Resistance to Opium Tax, 18961949; Appendix 4: Geographical Distribution of Tenant Disturbances (18951949) According to Various Sources; Appendix 5: Differences and Convergences Between Bernhardt's and My Own Views; Glossary of Chinese Terms; Index; About The Author;