Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2017, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (2): 193-215.

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The System of Special Commissioners and the Early Labor Movement of the CCP: Illustrated by History of the Anyuan Worker Movement (1921-1925)

MA Xuejun   

  1. Department of Sociology, Peking University;Historical Sociology and CPC's History Research Center, China University of Political Science and Law
  • Online:2017-03-20 Published:2017-03-20
  • Supported by:

    This research was supported by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project(2016M600834).

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Abstract:

Existing literature on the CCP led labor movement places particular emphasis on the revolutionary discourse and analysis of class struggle, but less attention to the organization form of the CCP led labor movement from the perspective of organizational sociology. This paper chooses the early Anyuan labor movement as its case study, and analyzes and compares the work effectiveness of the CCP special commissioners Li Lisan and Liu Shaoqi for the purpose of exploring the organizational form of the system of special commissioners in the CCP led labor movement. Although Anyuan was an important early base of the workers' movement of the CCP, the existing research contributes little on the subject of its historical process and the organizational form of the CCP led the Anyuan labor movemen. This study argues that Li Lisan created the Anyuan labor movement through his personal resources,but his successor Liu Shaoqi failed to sustain the Anyuan movement. It shows that the system of special commissioners in the CCP was responsible for the rise and fall of the Anyuan labor movement. In the early stage of the CCP led labor movement, neither the class consciousness of the workers nor the will of the central CCP committee determined the happening of the labor movement, Rather it depended on the personal resources of the CCP special commissioners. The actual work effectiveness of special commissioners are not only related to their personal resources,but also closely related to the commissioners' position in the CCP. The special commissioner system caused tension between the CCP unified leadership and individual commissioners. This led to the complex question of the relationship between professional revolutionary organizations and the masses in revolution. Specific analysis of the early system of special commissioners of the CCP, helps us to pay attention to the organization of the CCP led the labor movement, and also helps us to understand the early form of organization development and the evolution of the CCP.

Key words: labor movement, system of special commissioners, Anyuan, personal resources