Chen Hansheng And The Great Debate In Rural China In 1930s

In 1930s, heated three debates over the issues concerning Chinese social character, Chinese social history and Chinese rural history were held. Theses big debates, lasting till the end of 1930s, centered around the issue of present Chinese social character as well as Chinese history and rural society.China is a large agricultural country and this decides Chinese social character. The two sides of the debate were mainly the Trotskyists, the so-called Chinese economist group,and the Marxists, the so-called Chinese rural group led by Chen Hansheng, who organized a wide rural social investigation which later became the theoretical support for the argument and the Chinese revolutionary practice. The heated argument, focusing on the study method of Chinese rural economy and the character of Chinese rural society, finally concluded that China was"semi-colonial and semi-feudal". This thesis intends to present the significance and the positive influence that Chen's investigation and the debate brought about to Chinese politics. The thesis consists of three parts:Part one introduces the miserable Chinese ural society in 1930's and the debates over Chinese social character and Chinese social history. More details are given about Chen Hansheng's personal history and the debate over Chinese rural society.Part two is about the focus and the contents of the argument. More details are given on the viewpoints held by the debating sides. The focus is on Chinese rural social character.Part three is the influence that the debate brought about. The author believes that it is the debates that define China as a"mi-colonial and semi-feudal"country, provide New Democracy and Land Revolution with theoretical support, spread Marxism, promote the study on Marxism and develop Marxism.