From 1949 to 1965, the process of the Chinese Communist Party reshaping the new working class was also a journey of shaping 'new individuals.' The Communists attempted to erase the distinction between mental and manual labor, overturning deeply ingrained traditional Chinese notions such as 'all labor is demeaning except for reading,' and forging a new identity capable of engaging in physical labor while possessing advanced technology and culture. This identity was characterized as a 'worker-intellectual,' embodying both the role of a laborer and an intellectual. Essentially, this was a revolutionary transformation of the 'individual.' From a human perspective, the CCP's remaking of the working class was not only a transformation of human nature but also a rediscovery of the complexities within human nature.

1949-1965年，中国共产党再造新工人的过程也是一个塑造“新人”的历程。共产党人试图消除脑力劳动和体力劳动的差别，推翻在传统中国根深蒂固的“万般皆下品、唯有读书高”等观念，塑造出一种既能从事体力劳动、又掌握了先进技术和先进文化，既是工人、又是知识分子的“工人知识分子”形态。从本质上说，这实际上是一场关于“人”的革命。而如果站在人的角度上来看，中共对工人的再造既是一种对人性的改造，也是对复杂人性的重新发现。