Abstract: The productive enthusiasm of the peasants is one of the most important factors that influence the course of modernization of China’s agriculture.After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the peasants displayed two sorts of productive enthusiasms which directly influenced the speed and the quality of the development of rural economy and showed their particular charac teristics at various stages.The s tudy of the motivation of the peasants rpoductive enthusisam upon the development of rural economy may provide enl ightenment for the Party and the government to formulate appropriate policies to protect and encourage the productive eathusiasm of the peasants.

Key words: peasant, productive enthusiasm, rural economy