Founded in the remote mountains of China's Jiangxi Province in 1958, the Communist Labor University introduced uneducated laborers to basic agricultural science and farming techniques through an innovative work-study program until 1980. Drawing on a wealth of archival materials, John Cleverley explores the inner workings of this unique institution and the personal involvement of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, and Deng Xiaoping. Illuminating the internal and external politics of a remarkable social experiment from both an institutional and personal perspective, the book underscores the larger issues of educational reform and political change in China.