THE COOPERATIVE IS THE WILL OF THE PEASANTRY AND ITS FUTURE
— Reply letter from comrade Ramiz Alia addressed to the cooperative members of Kufi in Skrapar —
Dear comrades, I thank you for the letter you sent me, in which you express your determination to preserve untouched the collective property of the agricultural cooperative and to move forward on the road of socialism. With its profound class content and its practical importance for life, it is of interest not only to you, but also to all the cooperative peasantry of our country. I have read your words carefully and I am pleased that you have correctly understood the efforts of our Party and our state to develop and strengthen even further the cooperative economy, which is a great historical victory of our peasantry. You rightly emphasize that the agricultural cooperative was not created by force, but by the free will of the peasants, by their deep conviction that this was the only way to escape backwardness and poverty, and to secure a better life. This is entirely true. The agricultural cooperative is the fruit of the labor and sweat of our peasants, of their class consciousness, and of the leadership of the Party. Therefore it must be defended at all costs. In recent times, taking advantage of economic difficulties and our weaknesses, enemies of socialism have tried to cast mud on the cooperative, to encourage individualism and the tendency to turn back. These efforts are harmful and do not serve the interests of the peasantry. Of course, we know that there have also been shortcomings and defects in the life of our cooperatives. There are cases of bureaucracy, cases of remuneration not always according to work, and shortcomings in organization and in the use of land, equipment, and production reserves. But these in no way undermine the value of the cooperative system. On the contrary, they require that it be improved, that the internal life of the cooperative be further democratized, that the responsibility of the leadership and of each member be increased, and that the link between individual and common interests be strengthened. Our Party has been and remains in favor of the further development of the agricultural cooperative, of increasing production, and of improving life in the countryside. We will support every measure that gives more impetus to work, that increases the income of cooperative members, that expands their rights in decision-making, and that brings specialists and science closer to production. But this does not mean destroying the cooperative, nor returning to the small private plot as the basis of the peasant economy. You are right when you say that the land, livestock, the main tools of labor, and common property have been created through many years of effort and cannot become the object of fragmentation and squandering. Whoever demands such a thing either does not understand the future of our village, or works against its interests. The experience of other countries shows that only on the basis of advanced forms of cooperation and common production can agriculture move forward, especially under conditions of using new technology, irrigation, specialization, and links with the processing industry. I assure you that the Party and the state will remain close to the cooperative members, will help them overcome difficulties, and will carry forward the great cause of socialism in the countryside. Your steadfastness, your loyalty to the cooperative and to the socialist ideal, is a fine example. I hope that your letter will serve to clarify public opinion more clearly and to encourage all those who want to work honestly for the present and future of our village. Socialist greetings, Ramiz Alia