essay

A revisit to Kaihsienkung

Fei Hsiao-tʾung : the dilemma of a Chinese intellectual, selected and translated by James P. McGoughWhite Plains, Ny • Published In 1979 • Pages: 39-74

By: Fei, Xiaotong.

Abstract
This is a brief report on the author’s short return visit to the village (turned commune) twenty years after his seminal fieldwork. The author assesses the collectivization program in regard to its economic diversification and productivity. Although living standards had improved, a rising consumption outpaced income as villagers' wants increased. The author makes the argument for a mixed economy of supplementary industries and agricultural to increase village income and further improve livelihoods.
Subjects
Economic planning and development
Cereal agriculture
Domesticated animals
Diet
Textile industries
Production and supply
Income and demand
Cooperative organization
Water transport
Standard of living
Household
culture
Han Chinese
Region
Asia
Sub Region
East Asia
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard; 2019
Field Date
1956
Coverage Date
1936-1956
Coverage Place
Kaixiangong, Wujiang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
Notes
Fei Hsiao-t'ung
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
79066094
LCSH
Peasantry--China--Yangtze River Valley
Villages--China--Yangtze River Valley
Yangtze Valley--Economic conditions