1950+Land+Reform

Land reform involves the changing of law, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. The land reform that Mao implemented in 1950 was a transfer of ownership from the more powerful to the less powerful: such as from wealthy land owners to farmers who work on the land. The land and other properties of landlords were expropriated and redistributed to the peasants.

**HOW THIS CONSOLIDATED MAO'S POWER** Mao's land reform policy helped him gain support of the majority of the population in China, the peasants. It allowed Mao to appeal to the leg of the stool where people are benefiting from his rule. According to Michael Lynch, he views Mao's land reforms as adopting a violent line. "The property of the landlords was confiscated and redistributed among their former tenants". The landlords were allowed to keep a portion of their land provided that they became peasants, but the great majority were put on public trial and denounced as enemies. Evidence shows that million landlords were killed during PRC's land reforms. Mao's consolidation of his power by the land reforms allowed people to fear him, where he would purged on landlords and confiscated their land with violence.