The agricultural producers' co-operatives were collective economic organizations formed at that time by working peasants on their own initiative under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. According to the level of collectivization, thy were divided into elementary and advanced agricultural producers' co-operatives. In the elementary co-operative, the members held shares representing their portion of the pooled land and exercised unified management, profits were then distributed in proportion to the members' shares and manpower. The members also received reasonable dividends on shares representing their draught animals, farm implements and other means of the production which they pooled. In the advanced co-operative, the members were not compensated for the use of land, which belonged to the collective; their draught animals, farm implements and other means of production were appraised and paid for before being turned over to the co-operative, and distribution was then made strictly according to one's work.