Shoulder Poles and Bombs: Grain Market Controls in Greater Chongqing (1949–1953)

In the early years of People’s Republic, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had difficulty in establishing control over grain markets. The implementation Unified Purchase and Sale Grain Policy was a significant step toward this end, part broader move collectivization that would lead to Great Leap Forward, making it sensitive topic for research. By focusing on market policies rural Chongqing, research shows role state prices management state-owned companies before monopoly 1953. This paper uses material from county archives with focus Jiangjin County, area southern show 1950s, CCP state-building policy featured not only violent mass campaigns but also utilized gradualist strategies compete merchants, achieve influence, finally market.