The Significance of the Family Problem, "Mechanistic Thought" and "Collective Labor": Rereading "Mao Zedong's Letter to Qin Bangxian" (August 31, 1944)-Part 1

During the Yan'an period, Mao Zedong made important revisions to an editorial piece printed in Yanan's Jiefang Daily. These revisions, along with a related letter of correspondence between Mao Zedong and Qin Bangxian, shall be analyzed in-depth within this article. Through them, we may better articulate Mao Zedong's understanding of agrarian socialism, as well as transformations to the family unit during the period of New Democracy (xinminzhu zhuyi). His understanding [during this period] forms a contrast with that of the May Fourth period, as well as with that of large-scale industrial socialism, giving reflection to his focus on looking towards the future, his pragmatic spirit and his theoretical insight.