Canton (Guangzhou), last stop — Oct 27 to 30
The couple took us on a minibus. The man speaks French, the woman speaks Spanish. She is Li Yuezhen, he Deng Chitao. She seems to think I’m too old, because she takes my arm to get in the car, to get out, to walk. He is very cheerful and goes, by the way of the hotel, giving information about the city. Our bags we had shipped in Chongqing had already arrived.
New five-star hotel, American style “White Swan” — 18th floor, 10 pm — bath and bed. Tomorrow coffee at 8am and 9am we will go to the “Guangzhou Fair- Guangzhou”.
The Canton Fair
October 27, 1986
60th fair (sic) of products from all over the country. Amazing the amount of products. Everything imaginable. I just found the agricultural implements part with very little products. Combined, some four types of farm tractors, plus a three types of Tobata. Just that.
After lunch (always make a point of rest), at 3 pm meeting with the agricultural staff for lectures and questions, only one — Lu Ling — head of the Provincial Agricultural Planning Commission. Skinny, without the first premolars, wearing glasses, smiling. Private meeting room at the hotel, with large window overlooking old French-style buildings from the turn of the century. Lian has countless questions about what she wants to know. First the confetti, then tea, then talk — great black tea.
In China’s history there is few things about cooperatives in peasant labor because the country was feudal. Emperors and rulers organized the popular mass for hydraulic (irrigation) work but there was no voluntary work. Before 1978 almost nothing. Only after that came cooperation in the works. Cooperativism in this province (Canton): The Party organizes peasant cooperatives that have formed three types: production, supply and trade with credits — all in cooperatives. Cooperative-socialism path was fair as it would save peasants from misery. With the cooperative they can work together and produce more, improve living conditions, save money, make better planned agriculture.
In 1953, first collective experiences increasing in 1954. Peasant membership, mutual work, and government subsidy. 40% of family in the first year. They proved to be the right way. In 1956 errors arose, peasants were forced to form cooperatives and transform cooperatives into larger organizations.
Government policy could not yet convince the peasants of the need for the formation of cooperatives (lower to upper type), the lower ones had no will of their own and those of the higher, by the increase, were harmed: all lands were collectivized and the means of production also well in advance of the formation of peasant consciousness.
Family economy was not allowed to develop fully. Some peasants resisted cooperative work and removed their animals from the field and other boycotts. In the cooperative the revenue was distributed on the basis of the production team. In the commune was based on the production brigade. There were production brigades that took results from others, but these errors were corrected soon. Mistakes were in violating the aspirations of peasants with excessive demands. In every country applies only one model which is wrong, because such a large country, each place has its differences. Error in equalizing (sic) the distribution of income. No one had the expected result. It lasted 10 years and agricultural production in China was virtually paralyzed.
Despite this there were positive forms such as family production liability system, but this system was suppressed at this time, for example in Quingyuan (Canton province). There have been other setbacks, but the success of this work cannot be denied.
A large number of irrigation works were built, proper fertilization, preparation of people who had leadership. Production advanced slowly but positively. Experience began around 1965, about 10% were well managed. There were good people (leaders) who followed the democratic line in the popular communes, where discipline and the development of production were very positive.
To search facts — respecting the aspirations of the popular masses = recipe for success. Give farmers correct guidance and research their experiences. Raise the levels of administration. After 1978 came family responsibility for production rather than staff. This was confirmed by the Party in 1980 by stimulating this system, which has been developing from the mountains to the plains and from the poorer to the more developed in agriculture, livestock, complementary services, etc., which represented the improvement of the collective system. But some things must be individual.
We cannot say that the family system (current is individual). Collective production will improve with the development of cooperatives and the aspiration of the masses.
Peasants must also interconnect to improve land quality for higher productivity. There are limits to families, so many services must be collective: irrigation, plowing, insect protection, marketing. Peasants no longer want wrong forms of the past. Cooperation to solve common problems. Collectivism can greatly increase family production. Interconnection of family production with the market. Orientation to peasants to increase collective production.
Government encourages forms of enrichment just by relaxing its control (those with the most advanced level get rich first (ability), those who work harder, have more technique, etc.
Production in Canton Province:
99% of the land in the family responsibility system (but many things are collective: large fish ponds, land improvement, etc.).
A person who consumes purchased grain is considered urban — those who consumes produced grain is considered a peasant. Here more than four million work in rural industries and are called peasants. This will be corrected (18 million in agriculture alone). Richer peasants today earn 1,000 yuan / year, some districts reach 3,000 yuan. No accurate data.
There are no perspectives of rural capitalist emergence because of income tax and the government limits labor force. Persistence in the collectivity as a means of production also impedes capitalism in the countryside. Limit should be five employees, but there are increases and we are observing. Also bank credits and socialist force prevent it.
Less developed zones, poorer, in the border and national minority areas are encouraged and aided by the government with cash donations without further tax relief from these regions.
By increasing production the government allows the producer to retain more. They enjoy the same political rights, they can represent the popular mass. Communist country that serves all the people. ”
5:30 pm: I’m hungry !! Great spiritual development is still needed.
Guangzhou (Cantão)
October 28, 1986
Baygun Agriculture, Industry and Commerce (joint venture) about 30 km from the center. Chian Kesen — Director.
Visit in the morning with rain — the dragon is against us (he is St. Peter of China). It is a government company in partnership with Hong Kong firms. Confetti, tea, video tape about the company, Lian questions.
32,000 km² — Area with small mountains in the center. 24,000 inhabitants and 13,500 workers, thereabout 80 factories (includes chicken breeding, dairy farm, pigs, wine, medicines, electronics, toys, paints, home appliances, car parts, furniture, pasta for export, fish, oranges, fruits miscellaneous, rice, hotel). Sponsors artists, has schools, does technical research, library. Buses for staff and children to go to school Staff club with olympic pool, miscellaneous sports, recreation, dancing, performing arts. Production according to market needs. Government no longer interferes.
$ 25 million loan = 7% of total.
It also has foreign capital, contracts with foreign firms; refrigerators and various other products have partnership with foreign capital. Profit distribution depends on the investment.
Foreign money, but all Chinese (labor and facilities).
Foreign money and raw material, the payment is with Chinese products.
Mixed technology.
The Hong Kong companies have Mitsubishi refrigerator assembly concession; set up in Guangzhou which must export 70% of production.
There are several contracts with several foreign investors that should last a maximum of 20 years and a minimum of one year.
Raising of chickens imported from Italy by the Chinese government as a loan to the company.
Breeding chickens these days.
Initially it was a farm created in 1958 to work Party members. The peasants of the area were incorporated into the farm. Until 1968 it gave damage with a lot of government subsidy. From 1969 to here it changed building some industries. Criticized for political changes but developed industry. Many thought that with industries peasants would stop working in agriculture. Until 1979 when they decided to make an industrial complex (as in Yugoslavia) with industrial and commercial expansion. The economy of the complex jumped. In 1980 the revenue was 41 million yuan, with profit of 1,400 million yuan. Average salary: 55 yuan.
In 1985 revenue jumped to 350 million yuan, with profit of 32 million yuan and the average salary was 165 yuan (23,600 million yuan tax to the government and ICM). ICM is 6% on net income, but does not pay IR that goes to investments.
Production is now the responsibility of the complex itself. When it was damaged the government subsidized. After profitably the government takes all profit from the industry, the crop does not enter it.
Each family constitutes a company cell, has a piece of land and participates in other economic activities. It also has wage earners in agriculture.
Four thousand peasant families. Rural workers and many workers live in the area. Five thousand peasant labor.
Cultivation area: 660 hectares with cereals and vegetables (little production); 100 hectares of orchard.
About 90% of the crop workforce works in other industrial services.
Certain area delivered by contract to a group determined with the desired production. This group can sell the rest of the production. Group leaders are chosen by others.
Of the remaining production, under contract, half is still delivered to the company and the other half distributed among the group components themselves.
Industry: 90%
Farming: 4.5%
Trade: 3.5%
Supply and demand system influences livestock profits.
Papaya only gives one crop because winter harms, so after harvesting they cut the tree (greenhouse sowing in winter and planting in spring).
Pigs: About 10,000 a year
Cows: 200 Dutch
Chickens, ducks and quails.
Weak earth with low PH.
Dinner with the Vice Governor of Guangzhou
Yesterday we had dinner with the vice governor of Guangzhou in the hotel restaurant White Swan, private room. No one says that this little man, over 60 years old, took part in the revolution, was a university director, a professor of history, was imprisoned for two years during the Cultural Revolution and is now vice governor of the province.
The same thing happened with the director of the agro-industrial complex: he was a physics teacher, a school principal, a combatant, he is about 58 years old, seems more, has flaws in his side teeth.
We walked around the city knowing the free market, full of living and dead animals: coatis, geese, ducks, chickens, quails, fishes like I’ve never seen, eels, fruits, including papaya.
Ping Chow of Nan Hai District, Guangzhou Province
October 29, 1986
Producers of rice (mainly), peanuts, sugar cane, vegetables, fruits, oil and confection. They cultivate more than 40 thousand Mus. Also pigs, dairy cows, poultry and fishes. More than 600 industries (the largest with over 1,000 workers). More than 20 different products, from metal to cement, lime, bricks.
Warm welcome, tea, lecture. Director: Chon Hon Sung. Value of production in 1985: 76 million yuan (increase of 52% from 1984 to 1985). Annual per capita income: 1,029 yuan.
More than seven thousand new dwellings home (270.000m²). Savings at the bank increased by about 1,000 yuan each, by buying color TV, bicycles, etc.
Before 1978 the land was collectively explored. After 1978 the land became family exploitation. Agriculture and industry developed.
They use ground shells to grout doors, windows, etc.
Banana planted in the shoal, very good. Papaya (small tree, but very productive with large papayas of selected seeds).
Mei ó= doesn’t have (definitive)
Ni hau= good morning or good afternoon
Tiputí= Sorry, I’m sorry.
We visited temples, palaces, schools, museums, like tourists do, and we also visited collective farms, rural industries, peasant families, we saw various plantations and systems used in agriculture in the interior of the country, in flat and mountainous areas, irrigation, crops, etc. … They were joyous days, being welcomed everywhere with joy by the most diverse inhabitants of this vast and populous country.
We left after almost a month, unharmed, light, happy, feeling like masters of the world, after we had thrown to the ground all our old fears.
