With these reforms the gentry class had their land stripped from them. Mass trials were held where the landlords were falsely accused of heinous crimes. Many were sent to labor camps so that their minds could be reformed by work (Fitzgerald). Furthermore, Maurice Meisner points out that many of the landlords were banned from any political activity (Meisner ppg. 94-98). The land reforms gave more power to the peasants. John Gurley also points out that the land reforms redistributed wealth and national income. The farm business profits and the net taxes to the state were redirected to the middle and poor peasants (Gurley ppg. 240-241). In 1953, Mao convinced the people to form cooperatives where all the peasants would eat, live and work together to harvest the food. This plan was another component of the classless society as peasants were discouraged from venturing off on their own (China Since 1945). .
As Mao commenced the Agrarian Reforms he also activated the First Five Year Plan in 1952. With this, he sought to increase China's industrial output to match that of the top powers in the world. The industrial progress of this program surpassed the expected 14% yearly increase with increases of 16 to 18% (Meisner pg. 113). Part of the success was due to Russian aid. The Russians helped install the model factories and personnel and trained Chinese workers for the various factory jobs. The Chinese became more effective in gaining the technological support and experience necessary for working the factories. More time was spent on heavy industry than consumer production. Maurice Meisner points out that a total of 11.2% of the industry went to consumer production while 88% went to the production of heavy industry (Meisner pg. 112). Along with economic/industrial planning came the political reorganization of the First Five Year Plan. Maurice Meisner and John Gurley both emphasize the formation of a centralized, bureaucratic government as an integral part of the First Five Year Plan (Gurley ppg.