Resistance to the rustification movement (1969)

This extract from The China Quarterly, January-March 1969, describes resistance to the rustification or ‘Down to the Countryside’ movement:

“An upsurge of young intellectuals going to the hilly areas is being stirred up throughout our province. With knapsacks on their backs, one group of young intellectuals after another has gone to the hilly areas and settled there…

However, we notice that some graduates are hesitant about going to the hilly areas and countryside. This is because they have been deeply influenced by the revisionist line on education, or because they have been unable to overcome the influences of the exploiting class put forth by the old society.

Either that, or because they are under the influence of or acting at the instigation of the handful of class enemies, they look upon life in the city with great love, but have contempt for the countryside. They have respect for industry but ignore agriculture. Therefore they try by various means to stay in the city. They are unwilling to go to the countryside.”