Nanjing National Government Early Land Law Research (1928-1936)

China was a less-developed agricultural country during its stage of semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. The peasants who covered 80% of the population were the main body of Chinese society in those days. The feudal ownership of land, which has been formed for several thousand years, was not only the source of most peasant mass' pauperization, but also the basic cause of slow development of Chinese social economy and productivity. The theory of Equal Ownership of Land set by Sun Hingham was the unprecedentedly revolutionary program against the feudal ownership of land, and it was also the theoretical basis of solving Chinese land problems. In 1930, at the beginning of foundation, Nanjing national government issued Land Law, which was the basic principal of solving Chinese land problems. Whether Land Law practiced Sun Hingham's proposal of Equal Land Ownership in the aspect of theory and content? What influences did it exert on Chinese society at that time? What historical effects did it make in solving the peasants' land problems? These problems are all worth inquiring deeply. The thesis follows the viewpoints of historical materialism and dialectical materialism, and gives an objective and comprehensive comment on Land Law from the specific situations of Chinese semi-colonial and semi-feudal society.The thesis can be divided into three parts:Preface: The thesis mainly discusses the importance of Chinese peasants' land problems in semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. Meanwhile, the thesis introduces the research situations made by history circle on Land Law that was the basic principal of solving Chinese peasants' land problem at the early days of Nanjng national government's foundation. Moreover, the thesis puts forward the writing aim and main matters to be solved.Main body: First, the thesis discusses the land system and the basic situation of rural economy before Land Law was issued by Nanjing national government, especially the deterioration of rural land relationship and the pauperization of peasants.Second, the thesis analyses why Nanjing government issued Land Law, laying emphasis on the core contents of Land Law, and especially makes a preliminary research on such problems as land ownership, right of using land, field and land taxes, land renting, and so on.Third, combining with the rural land relationship situation after Land Law was carried out, the thesis gives an objective analysis on the main reason for the failure of Land Law.Ending: the thesis makes an overall evaluation on Land Law in the early stages of Nanjing national government.