Utopia And Reality: A Study On The Collective Childcare In Rural Area Of Shanghai During The Period Of People's Commune(1958-1962)

Taking the collective nurseries in Shanghai from 1958 to 1962 as the research object,this paper examines the original intention of the state to promote the collective nurseries in this period,the concrete practice of the Shanghai nurseries and the reasons for the withdrawal of the collective nurseries.Under the guidance of the thoughts of collectivization and socialization of Housework,the collective childcare and other collective undertakings are promoted in full swing in the countryside.In the view of the time,collective childcare was of great significance in the establishment of the People's Commune and the transition to communism: it contributed to the formation of the Communist "new family";it helped women break out of the "small circle" of the family to achieve self-liberation;Cultivating Communist "New Man" under collective education.Shanghai rural collective childcare is a microcosm of the whole country's childcare cause.With the development of the People's Commune,the cause of rural childcare in Shanghai experienced great ups and downs.After its rapid development at the end of1958,most of the undertakings were dissolved.Only in the summer of 1960,under the guidance of the state policy,did it recover reluctantly,though not for long,in 1961,the collective childcare began to withdraw from the countryside and never recovered.During this period,in order to better take on the responsibility of child-rearing and serve the goal of cultivating communist successors,special attention was paid to the three aspects of health care,food supply and comprehensive education in the content of daily education.The withdrawal of collective childcare is directly related to the timely adjustment of national policy.After 1961,the policy of "taking care of children according to their needs","disbanding the whole care system" and "families bear the main expenses" was established,and the main responsibility of families to take care of children was emphasized.In addition,it is also noteworthy that in the whole process of collective childcare,quite a number of parents and members of the strong resistance and dissatisfaction throughout,which to a large extent also determines the final fate ofchildcare.In the context of the transition to communism at that time,rural collective undertakings,including collective childcare undertakings,were in fact entrusted with the important mission of reforming the family.Although at that time took a more moderate way,that is to transform,weaken the family function and retain the family form,but the family form and function is really one.Under the condition that the family form remains unchanged,the strong resistance from the family itself will inevitably affect the effect of the reform.This resistance was also evident in other economic and social undertakings of the same period.