Agricultural Land Reform in a Mixed System: The Chinese Experience of 1984-1994

China Information

Volumn 10, Issue 3-4, 1995, Pages 44-74

  Yuk Shing, Cheng ^a   Shu ki, Tsang ^a  

^a HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY   (Hong Kong)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84972708645     PISSN: 0920203X     EISSN: 1741590X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/0920203X9501000303     Document Type: Article

References (70)

1. For a discussion of the agricultural reform and the interlinkage of various measures during 1978-84, see Y. Y. Kueh, “China’s New Agricultural-Policy Program: Major Economic Consequences, 1979-1983”, Journal of Comprrative Economccs, Vol. 8 (1984), pp. 353-375.
2. E.g., Y.Y. Kueh, “The Economics of the ’Second Land Reform in china”, The China Quarterly, No. 101 (March 1985), pp. 122-131; Hans P. Binswanger and Miranda Elgin, “Reflections on Land Reform and Farm Size”’, in Carl K. Eicher and John M. Staaz (Eds.), Agricultural Development in the Third World, second edition. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press 1990, pp. 342-54. For a discussion of the two land reforms in China as well as those in other Asian countries, see Peter Dorner and William C. Thiesenhusen, “Selected Land Reforms in East and Southeast Asia: Their Origins and Impatts”, Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, Vol. 4, No. 1 (March 1990), pp. 65-95.
3. Hans P. Binswanger and Miranda Elgin, “Reflections on Land Reform and Farm Size”’, in Carl K. Eicher and John M. Staaz (Eds.), Agricultural Development in the Third World, second edition. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press 1990, pp. 342-54. For a discussion of the two land reforms in China as well as those in other Asian countries, see Peter Dorner and William C. Thiesenhusen, “Selected Land Reforms in East and Southeast Asia: Their Origins and Impatts”, Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, Vol. 4, No. 1 (March 1990), pp. 65-95.
4. See the various articles in Y.Y. Kueh and Robert Ash (eds.), Economic Trends in Chinese Agriculture: The Impact of Post-Mao Reforms. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1993.
5. Zhu Ling and Jiang Zhongyi, “From Brigade to village community The Land Tenure System and Rural Development in China”, Cambridge Journal of Economics, Vol. 17 (1993), pp. 441-461;
6. James Kaising Kung, “Equal Entitlement versus Tenure Security under a Regime of Collective Property Rights: Peasants’ Preference for Institutions in Post-Reform Chinese Agriculture”, Journal of Comparative Economccs, Vol. 21 (1995), pp. 82– 111.
7. Lin Zili, “Lun lianchun Zhenbao zerenzhi” (On the Output-Linked Production Responsibility Contract System), Zhongguo shehui kexue (China’s Social Sciences), No. 6 (November 1982), pp. 3-32;
8. Shen Chong and Xiang Xiyang, Shinian lai: lilun, zhengce, shijian (The Past Ten Years: Theoiies, Policies and Practices — Selected Materials). Beijing:. Qiushi Press 1988.
9. This has been pointed out by Yun-wing Sung and Thomas M.H., Chan, “China’s economic Reforms: The Debates in China”, Australian Journal of Chinese Affairs, No. 17 (January 1987), pp. 29-51.
10. John McMlllan, John Whalley, and Zhu Lijing, “The Impact of China’s Economic Reforms on Agricultural Produttivity Growth”, Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 97, No. 4 (1989), pp. 781-807;
11. Philip C.C. Huang, The Peasant Family and Rural Development in the Yangzi Delta, 1350-1988. Stanford: Stanford University Press 1990;
12. Justin Yifu Lin, “Rural Reforms and Agricultural Growth in China”, American Economic Review, Vol. 82, No. 1 (1992), pp. 34-51;
13. Chris Bramall, The Role of Declllectivization in China’s Agricultural Miracle, 1978-90”, The Journal of Peasant Studies, Vol. 20, No. 2 (1993), pp. 271-295.
14. Lin Zili, The Journal of Peasant Studies.
15. Chen Xiwen, “Jiushi niandai nongcun gaige yu faznan mianlin de xin wenti” (The New Problems Facing China’s Agricultural Reform and Development in the 1990s). Paper presented at the Conference on China’s Economic Reform and Development in the 1990s, organized by the Hong Kong Social Sciences Research Society, Hong Kong, 25-26 February 1993.
16. Kong Jingyuan, “Zjiongguo nongcun tuai zniou: oianqian guocneng de sruzneng fenxi” (The Land System in the Chinese Countryside: A Positive Study of the Process of Change), Jingji yanjiu (Economic Research Journal), No. 2 (February 1993), pp. 65-72.
17. Development Research Institute, Gaige mianlin zhidu chuangnn (The Reform tincounters Institutional Innovation), Shanghai: Shanghai Sanlian shudian 1988, pp. 183-203; idem, “Zhongguo nongcun jingji tizhi zhongqi (1988-1995) gaige gangyao” (An Outline of the Reform of China’s Rural Economic System in the Medium Term (1988-1995)), in Comprehensive Planning Branch of the State Commission for the Reform of the Economic System (Ed.), Zhongguo gaige da silu (Thoughts on Reforms in China). Shenyang: Shenyang Press 1988, pp. 241-66; “Meitan: yige chuantong nongqu de tudi zhidu bianqian” (Meitan: Changes in the Land System of a Traditional Agricultural Region), in He Kang and Wang Yuzhao, Zhongguo nongcun gaige shinian (Ten Years of Rural Reform in China). Beijing: Zhongguo renmin chubanshe 1990, pp. 401-426.
18. The policy document can be found in Shen Chong and Xiang Xiyang (Eds.,), Zhongguo nongcun gaige shinian (Ten Years of Rural Reform in China), pp. 65-76.
19. Shen and Xiang, Zhongguo nongcun gaige shinian (Ten Years of Rural Reform in China), p. 67.
20. Li Peixiang, “Qiantan tudi xiangdui jizhong de zhang’ai yu duice” (A Preliminary Discussion of the Impediments to the Relative Centralization of Land and Policy Recommendttions), Nongyjiishujingji (Journal of Agrotechnical Economccs), (October 1986), pp. 24– 27;
21. Wang Guoxiang, “’Juntianhua’ shi fazhan nongcun shangpin jingji de yida zhang’ai” (Equal Distribution of Land is a Big Hindrance to the Development of Commodity Economy in the Countryside), Zhongguo nongcun jingji (Chinese Rural Economy), No. 5 (1986), pp. 21– 24.
22. Gao Xiaomeng, “Lisnixing de zhuanzhe (A Historical luming Vomt), in Gao Xiaomeng and Song Guoqing et al., Zhongguo liangshi wentiyanjiu (Study on China’s Food Grain Problem). Beijing: Jingji guanli chubanshe 1987, pp. 78-80;
23. Song Guoqing, “Guanyu nongcun jingji xingshi de duice de baogao” (Reports on the Rural Economic Situation and Policy Recommendations), in Research Group for China’s Rural Development Problems (Ed.) Nongcun, iingji, shehui, Vol. 4, Qinhuangdao: Nongcun duwu chubanshe 1986, pp. 34-42;
24. Terry Sicular, “Grain Pricing — A Key Link in Chinese Economic Policy”, Modem China, Vol. 14, No. 4 (October 1988), pp. 451-486.
25. Zhu Yuanznen and Fan Maofa (Eds.), Jingji tizni gaige shouce (a Handbook of economic System Reform), Additional Volume 1. Beijing: Jingji ribao chubanshe 1989, pp. 10-12.
26. Zhongguo nongye manjian (Yearoook of China’s Agriculture), 1987, pp. 408-411.
27. Zhongguo nongye nianjian, 1988, p. 464.
28. Zhou Qiren, “Zhongguo nongcun caichan guanxi de yichang biange” (The Reform of Property Relationships in China’s Rural Areas), in Development Research Institute (Ed.), pp. 65-80.
29. Guo Shutian (Ed.), Biange zhong de nongcun yu nongye (The countryside and Agncuiiure under the Reforms). Beijing: Zhongguo zaijing chubanshe 1993, p. 18.
30. The document is contained in Shen and Xiang, pp. 94-106.
31. Chen Xiwen, “Wending jiben zhengce shi shenhua gaige nongcun de qianti (Staonizing the Basic Policy Line is the Prerequisite of Deepening Rural Reform), Nongyejingji wenti, No. 138 (1991), pp. 3-8.
32. Yang Jinglun, “Nongdi zhidu de biange yu cnuangxin (The Reform and Innovation of the Farmland System), in Development Research Institute (Ed.), pp. 183-203.
33. Yang Aun, “Guoyou huying: zhongguo nongcun tudi zhidu gaige de xiansni xuanze” (State Ownership with Household Managemntt: A Realistic Choice in the Reform of China’s Rural Land System), in He Kang and Wang Yuzhao (Eds.), pp. 450-456.
34. Luo Haiping, “Nongcun cnanquan zniau gaige muoiao — siyounua” (The Goal of Property Right Reform in the Countryside — Privatization), Nongye jingji wenti, No. 107 (1988), pp. 30-31.
35. Xia Zhengkun, “zailun nongcun de gaige yu fazhan” (Again on Rural Reform and Development), Zhongguo nongcun jingji (China’s Rural Economy), No. 8 (1990), pp. 3-9.
36. See also Zhu Jiyu, “Nongcun tudi siyouhua zhiyi” (Against Privatization of Rural Land), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 9 (1989), pp. 28, 37-38.
37. Lin Ye, “Baituo tudi weiji de chulu zai yu tudi snryong zhidu gaige — zjiongguo tudi snryong zhidu gaige lilun yantaohui guandian zongshu” (The Way to Break Away from the Land Crisis is to Reform the Land Use System — A Comprehensive Report of the Conference on China’s Land Use System Reform), Zhongguo nongcuj jingji, No. 8 (1990), pp. 32-37.
38. Li Yining, “Nongcnanpin snicnangyu nongguan tiaojie” (The Market in Agricultural rroaucis and Macro-Regulation), Nongye jingji wenti, No. 110 (1989), pp. 3-8.
39. An Xiji, “Lun tudi guoyou yongdianzni” (On Permanent lease of Land on a Basis of National Ownrrship), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 107 (1988), pp. 22-25.
40. Wei Zhengguo, “Woguo nongye tuai guoguan nuyong lun” (On china’s system or state Management with Household Utilization of Farmland), in He Kang and Wang Yuzhao (Eds.), pp. 457-462.
41. The broad support ot the collective ownership of farmland was revealed in Huang rieqin’s report at the Conference on Rural Land Problems, organized by the Rural Development Research Center of the State Council, held in September 1989. See Huang Heqin, “Woguo nongcun tudi zhidu jianshe de silu yu shijian” (The Theory and Practice of China’s Rural Land System Reform), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 1 (1989), pp. 34-37.
42. Development Research Institute, “An Outline of the Reform of China’s Rural economic System in the Medium Term (1988-1995)”, pp. 250-253.
43. This view is shared by Jiang Taping, “zhongguo nongai zniau xianznuang jiqi fenxi” (An Anllysis of the Current Situation of China’s Rural Land System), Zhongguo nongcujiingii, No. 79 (July 1991), pp. 33-40.
44. Development Research Institute, “An outline of the Reform of China’s Rural Economic System…”, pp. 252-254.
45. Research Group for Economic Growth, “Nongcun gaige de xmnzhuang yu weilai” (The Current Situation of Rural Reform and Future Prospects), Nongrua jingrnng yanjiu (Studies in Rural Finance), No. 6 (1988), pp. 1-6.
46. See also Ji Yongmao, “Liangtianzhi shi tudi jizhong chang guocheng zhong yizhong kexing de guodu xingshi” (The Two-Field System is a Feasible Transition Form for Long-Term Centralization of Land), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 59 (1989), pp. 32-36;
47. Wang Xiyu et al, “Juntian dao liangtian: nongcun tudi zhidu jianshe de shengchangdian” (From Equal Distribution of Land to the Two-Field System: A Point of Increasing Importance in Rural Land System Reform), Nongyejmgji wenti, No. 122 (1990), pp. 33-37.
48. Survey and Research Branch of the State Council General Office, “some Surveys Concerning the Deepening of Rural Reform”, Jingji cankao (Economic Information), 12 July 1988.
49. Rural Development Research institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Lun woguo nongcun gaige de luoji zhuxian he chuangxin jizhi” (On the Developmental Logic and Innovation Mechanism of China’s Rural Reform), Nongye jingji wenti, No. 9, pp. 20-24.
50. Zhongguo noagye manjian, 1992, p. 567; 1994, pp. 137-139.
51. Xinan jingji ribao (South-West Economic Daily), 13 September 1993, p. 1.
52. Wei Jinzhong and Zou Shuiliang, “Pingdushi ’liang tian zhi’ gaige shiyan ji qi chubu xiaoying” (The “Two-Field” Reform Experiment in Pingdu and Its Preliminary Effects), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 91 (July 1992), pp. 32-36.
53. Xue Ruicheng, “Tudi shidu guimu jingyingyu nongye xiandaihua” ( The optimal Operation Scale of Land and the Modernization of Agriculture), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 92 (August 1992), pp. 38-42.
54. Zhang Wenfang and Jack Makeham, “Recent Developments in the Market for Rural Land Use in China”, Land Economccs, Vol. 68, No. 2 (May 1992), pp. 139-162.
55. Liaison Tearn or tne Ministry of Agriculture in Shunyi, “Shunyixian nongye sniau guimu jingying diaocha” (An Investigation of the Optimal Operation Scale in Shunyi), Zhongguo nongcujiingji, No. 54 (June 1989), pp. 34-40.
56. Zhongguo nongye nianjian, 1994, p. 137.
57. For more details of the reforms in Nannai, see Yi Uiongzni, Liu Umghe and Song Ming, “Dui Nanhai shi nongcun tudi gufen hezuozhi de kaocha” (An Investigation of the Share-holding Farmland System in Nanhii). Paper presented at the Conference The Guangdong-Hong Kong Relationship Towards the 21st Century, organized by the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences and the Hong Kong Baptist University, Guangzhou, 9-10 December 1994.
58. Research Group for Economic Development and Comparative Model Studies, Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, “Dui Sunan nongye shidu guimu jingying de jidian fenxi” (Some Analyses of the Optimal Operation Scale of Agriculture in South Jiangsu), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 1 (1991), pp. 23-27.
59. Li Wandao, “Tudi you ’jizhong’ xiang ’juntian’ nizhuang shuoming le shenme.’ (What Has Been Illustrated by the Fact That Land Was Evenly Distributed after Centralized Management?), Nongye jingji wenti, No. 105 (1988), pp. 57-58;
60. Peng Junxiang, Zhang Xuenian and Yang Shulun, “Tudi shidu guimu jingying xianzhuang yu duice tanxi” (The Current Situation of the Optimal Operation Scale of Land and Policy Recommendations), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 47 (1988), pp. 16-21.
61. Research Group for Rural Cooperative Economy of the Ministry of Agriculture, 1990: Zhongguo nongcun tudi chengbao zhidu ji hezuo zuzhi yunning kaocha” (The Operation of the Land Contract System and Cooperative Economy in Rural China: 1990 Survey), Nongye jingji wenti, No. 140 (1991), pp. 33-40; and No. 141 (1991), pp. 44-49.
62. The survey in 1994 covered l00 counties selected trom 25 provinces. The result shows that about one-third of the rural economic organizations adopted the “two-field” system. See Ministry of Agriculture, Zhongguo nongye fazhan baogao 1995 (China Agricultural Development Report 1995), Beijing: Zhongguo nongye chubanshe 1995, p. 50.
63. Wang Pinchao, “Guanyu nongcun tudi zhidu zhong jige wenn de tantao” (An Exploration of Several Problems of the Current Land System), Zhongguo nongcun jingji, No. 82 (October 1991), pp. 28-29, 65.
64. Zjiang Boqi, “Ying zhuyi xiaochu tuen zhenbaozhong buwending de yingsu” (Factors Affecting the Stability of Land Contracts Should Be Eliminated), Nongye jingji wentt, No. 149 (1992), pp. 56.
65. Zhongguo nongye manjian, 1994, pp. 112-113
66. The policy document has not been published, but the content of the policy was reported in Zhongguo nongye nienjian, 1994, p. 137.
67. Feng Wenli, “Nongcun tudi guanii yu tudi zhidu jianshe zuotanhui zongshu (A Report on the Conference on Rural Land Management and Land System Establishment), Nongcun jingji yu shehui (Rural Economy and Society), No. 1 (1994), pp. 48-53.
68. Ministry of Agriculture, “1994-1995: Zhongguo nongye ae dongxiang” (The Current Trend of China’s Agriculture, 1994-1995), Zhongguo nongcun jiingji, No. 129 (September 1995), pp. 3-9, 45.
69. Ministry of Agriculture, “Guanyu wending he wanshan tudi chengbao guanxi de yijian” (Suggestions for Stabilizing and Improving Land Contract Relationships), dispatched on 30 December 1994, published in Nongmin ribao, 20 April 1995, p. 4.
70. In China, peasant incomes from rural enterpnses are high but insecure. Although a large number of rural enterprises were set up in the past decade, many of them went bankrupt every year. For instance, a total number of 700,000 rural enterprises were shut down in 1986, more than one million in 1987 and more than 500,000 in 1989. It was also reported that in early 1989, when the retrenchment policy of the central government was in full force, only 30% of rural enterprises in Jiangsu could maintain a normal operation rate and about 20% of the rural enterprises in Zhejiang were on the verge of bankruptcy. See Zhongguo xiangzhen qiye bao (China’s Rural Enterprise News), 10 January 1992, p. 1.