Everything in the village is allocated through collective, centralized distribution.

If someone’s family has a baby, they get a bit more fabric from above; if someone’s elderly person passes away, they get a bit less grain.
Xiao Ming got married and wants to apply for a new house.
The officials flipped through the ledger for a long time and said, “According to the regulations, your current conditions aren’t enough.”
Xiao Ming asked, “Then what conditions do I need?”
The official said, “You have to first raise the village’s average housing area for everyone to the standard.”
Xiao Ming was stunned: “So when will I be able to get a house?”
The official smiled and said, “Once everyone has moved into good houses—meaning, forever.”
Later, Xiao Ming found that the officials’ houses keep getting bigger, while ordinary people’s houses are getting more and more cramped.
But every time, the officials stressed: “We’re just moving in first to set an example for everyone. This is called taking the lead.”