Article 1: With a view to unifying the internal organization of local Soviet governments at all levels, these Provisional Regulations are hereby promulgated in accordance with the Constitution.

Article 2: Soviet governments at all levels within the territory of the Chinese Soviet Republic shall strictly abide by these Regulations and establish sound organization and work.

Article 3: The power to suspend or amend these Regulations shall rest with the Central Executive Committee.

Article 4: In the event that doubts or disputes arise in the practical application of these Regulations, the power of interpretation shall rest with the Central Executive Committee.

Chapter I: Xiang (Township) Soviets

Article 5: The Xiang Soviet is the organ of political power for the whole xiang, elected by the voters of the whole xiang in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, and constitutes the basic organization of Soviet political power.

Article 6: The Xiang Soviet shall not establish an executive committee, nor shall it establish a presidium; it shall have only one chairperson. Large Xiang Soviets may have one vice-chairperson. When the chairperson is absent, an acting chairperson must be elected to exercise the functions and powers of the chairperson.

Article 7: The Xiang Soviet shall not be divided into sections; all matters shall be the responsibility of the entire Soviet.

When there are temporary matters, temporary committees may be organized to carry them out; for example, when carrying out land confiscation and distribution, a land committee shall be organized to carry out the work of land confiscation and distribution, etc.

The members of various kinds of temporarily established committees, in addition to delegates of the Xiang Soviet, may also include active elements from the xiang to participate. These persons who temporarily participate in the work of the committees shall have the right to speak but have no right to vote.

Article 8: Each delegate to the Xiang Soviet must undertake a part of the work of the Soviet.

Article 9: The principle for working personnel of the Xiang Soviet shall be that they do not disengage from production.

Article 10: The regulations on working personnel of the Xiang Soviet who receive living expenses are as follows:
1. One chairperson.
2. One communications clerk.
3. One other working personnel member.
However, the number of working personnel receiving living expenses shall at most not exceed three persons.

In small or remote xiang, or in times of economic difficulty, only the living expenses for one chairperson shall be maintained.
Other working personnel shall not be given living expenses, or may receive a partial allowance for living expenses.

Article 11: If the number of working personnel of the Xiang Soviet receiving living expenses exceeds the prescribed quota, they must obtain the approval of the District Executive Committee.

Article 12: The plenary delegate conference of the Xiang Soviet shall be convened once every ten days by the chairperson. Extraordinary conferences may be convened in case of special events.

Article 13: The plenary delegate conference of the Xiang Soviet is not limited to being held in one place. It may be moved to various villages to be held. It is best to hold it in the village related to the issue under discussion.

Article 14: The Xiang Soviet must make a work report to the voters of the xiang once a month.
For a xiang comprising several villages, voters' assemblies may be convened in each village to report on its work.

Article 15: Resolutions and orders on issues of significant importance shall be communicated to the entire population of the xiang in the form of public notices, and mass assemblies shall be convened to make reports. Certain issues of lesser importance shall be conveyed orally by delegates.

Article 16: The authority of the chairperson of the Xiang Soviet is to convene meetings, supervise the implementation of resolutions, and handle day-to-day affairs.

Article 17: The Xiang Soviet has the authority to resolve various kinds of disputes that do not involve unlawful acts.

Chapter II: City Soviets

Article 18: The City Soviet is the organ of political power for the whole city, elected by the voters of that city in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. It serves as the basic organization of Soviet political power, just like the Xiang Soviet.

Article 19: A presidium shall be elected by the plenary delegate conference of the City Soviet, and then the presidium shall elect one chairperson and one vice-chairperson.

Article 20: In order to carry out the work of various departments, the City Soviet may establish the following sections: Internal Affairs, Labor, Culture, Military Affairs, Health, Grain, Workers' and Peasants' Inspection, Land, etc.

Article 21: Every delegate of the City Soviet must participate in the work of at least one section. In addition to delegates, active elements of the city may also be recruited to participate in the work of the various sections. Persons who are not delegates of the City Soviet but come to participate in the work of the various sections shall all have the right to speak but no right to vote.

Article 22: The various sections of the City Soviet may organize executive groups to organize and plan the work of the respective sections. The executive secretaries thereof must be appointed by the presidium of the City Soviet.

Article 23: The City Soviet may appoint instructors to guide and inspect the work of agencies under the jurisdiction of the City Soviet.

Article 24: Under the Labor Section, a Labor Exchange for the Unemployed and a Labor Inspection Office may be established. Under the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Section, a Complaints Bureau may be established.

Article 25: The secretary system shall be abolished. A General Affairs Office shall be established to manage the general miscellaneous affairs within the City Soviet. The General Affairs Office shall have one director.

Article 26: Under the General Affairs Office, the following units may be established: Documents, Printing, Accounting, General Services, Mail Receiving and Sending, etc.

Article 27: To handle the written work of the presidium of the City Soviet, one technical secretary may be employed.

Article 28: The regulations on working personnel of the City Soviet who receive living expenses are as follows:
1. One chairperson.
2. One vice-chairperson.
3. One military affairs section member.
4. One labor section member.
5. One land section member.
6. One finance section member.
7. One internal affairs section member.
8. One workers' and peasants' inspection section member.
9. One culture section member.
10. One health section member.
11. One director of the general affairs office.
12. One each for documents, printing, accounting, general services, mail receiving and sending, and communications.
13. One other working personnel member.
However, the quota of working personnel receiving living expenses shall not exceed 19 persons. In times of economic difficulty and in small cities, the number of working personnel of the City Soviet receiving living expenses shall not exceed 9 persons. The work of various sections may be held concurrently, and a portion of the working personnel may not disengage from production.

Article 29: If the quota of working personnel of the City Soviet receiving living expenses exceeds the prescribed quota, they must obtain the approval of the County Executive Committee.

Article 30: The meeting of the presidium of the City Soviet shall be convened once a week. The plenary delegate conference of the City Soviet shall be convened once every two weeks. Extraordinary conferences may be convened in case of special incidents.

Article 31: The meeting of the executive groups of the various sections of the City Soviet shall be convened once a week. The plenary personnel meeting of each section shall also be convened once a week, and its minutes shall be submitted to the presidium for approval.

Article 32: The plenary personnel meetings of the various sections of the City Soviet and the plenary delegate conferences of the City Soviet are not limited to being held in a specific place. They may be moved to enterprises and agencies where the masses are present. It is best to hold them in enterprises and agencies relevant to the issues under discussion, in order to involve the masses in the issues discussed.

Article 33: The City Soviet must make a work report to the voters of the city once a month.

Chapter III: District, County, and Provincial Executive Committees

Article 34: The organizational structures of the three levels—District, County, and Province—are mostly similar.
The District Executive Committee is elected by the District Soviet Congress. The County Executive Committee is elected by the County Soviet Congress. The Provincial Executive Committee is elected by the Provincial Soviet Congress.
Then, a presidium is elected by the executive committee at each level.
The District and County Executive Committees elect one chairperson and one vice-chairperson respectively. Only the Provincial Executive Committee elects one chairperson and two vice-chairpersons.

Article 35: Under the District, County, and Provincial Executive Committees, the following departments may be established: Land, Finance, Labor, Military Affairs, Culture, Health, Workers' and Peasants' Inspection, Grain, Internal Affairs, etc.

Article 36: The District, County, and Provincial Executive Committees may appoint instructors to guide and inspect the work of subordinate Soviets.

Article 37: The Provincial Executive Committee may engage specialized personnel to assist in the work of certain departments.

Article 38: Under the Labor Department, a Labor Inspection Office and a Labor Exchange for the Unemployed may be established. Under the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Department, a Complaints Bureau may be established. Under the Internal Affairs Department that is part of the province, a Civil Police Office, Municipal Affairs Office, and Criminal Detective Bureau may be established.

Article 39: The District, County, and Provincial Executive Committees must establish a General Affairs Office to handle general miscellaneous affairs. Under the General Affairs Office, units shall be divided into Documents, Printing, Accounting, General Services, Mail Receiving and Sending, Communications, etc.

Article 40: To handle the written work of the presidium, one technical secretary may be employed.

Article 41: The regulations on working personnel of the District Executive Committee who receive living expenses are as follows:
1. One chairperson.
2. One military affairs department head.
3. One finance department head.
4. One land department head.
5. One culture department head.
6. One workers' and peasants' inspection department head.
7. One labor department head.
8. One general affairs office head.
9. One for both documents and mail receiving/sending.
10. One each for printing, general services, and communications.
However, the quota of working personnel receiving living expenses shall not exceed 15 persons.
If, during times of funding difficulties, the work of various departments can be held concurrently, the number of working personnel receiving living expenses shall not exceed 7 persons.

Article 42: If the working personnel of the District Executive Committee receiving living expenses exceed the prescribed quota, they must obtain the approval of the County Executive Committee.

Article 43: The regulations on working personnel of the County Executive Committee who receive living expenses are as follows:
1. One chairperson.
2. One vice-chairperson.
3. One military affairs department head.
4. One finance department head.
5. One grain department head.
6. One land department head.
7. One culture department head.
8. One health department head.
9. One labor department head.
10. One workers' and peasants' inspection department head.
11. One internal affairs department head.
12. One general affairs department head.
13. One each for documents, printing, general services, and mail receiving/sending. Two to five for communications.
14. Five other working personnel.
However, the total number of working personnel shall not exceed 25 persons. If, during times of funding difficulties, the work of various departments can be held concurrently, the number of working personnel receiving living expenses shall not exceed 15 persons.

Article 44: If the working personnel of the County Executive Committee exceed the prescribed quota, they must obtain the approval of the Provincial Executive Committee.

Article 45: The regulations on working personnel of the Provincial Executive Committee who receive living expenses are as follows:
1. One chairperson.
2. Two vice-chairpersons.
3. One director and one deputy director of the Internal Affairs Department.
4. One director and one deputy director of the Military Affairs Department.
5. One director and one deputy director of the Finance Department.
6. One director and one deputy director of the Land Department.
7. One director and one deputy director of the Culture Department.
8. One director and one deputy director of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Department.
9. One head of the Grain Department.
10. One head of the Health Department.
11. One director and one deputy director of the Labor Department.
12. Five working personnel for the government organ newspaper.
13. One director of the General Affairs Office.
14. One technical secretary.
15. Two for documents, two for printing, one for general services, one for accounting, four for communications.
16. Fifteen to 53 other working personnel.
However, the total number of working personnel shall not exceed 90 persons.

Article 46: If the working personnel of the Provincial Executive Committee exceed the prescribed quota, they must obtain the approval of the Central Executive Committee.

Article 47: The various departments of the District, County, and Provincial Executive Committees may organize committees, with the head of the respective department serving as the chairperson. The committee members shall be appointed by the executive committee of that level. The number of committee members may range from three to nine.

Article 48: The various departments stand on an equal footing; this department cannot direct that department. If there are issues involving one department and another department, they may jointly discuss and proceed. More important issues shall be processed through the presidium of the executive committee.

Article 49: The meetings of the various departmental committees and the meetings of the presidiums of the executive committees at each level shall all be convened once a week. Extraordinary conferences may be convened in case of special matters.

Article 50: The plenary committee meeting of the District Executive Committee shall be convened once a month by the presidium of the District Executive Committee. The plenary committee meeting of the County Executive Committee shall be convened once every two months by the presidium of the County Executive Committee. The plenary committee meeting of the Provincial Executive Committee shall be convened once every four months by the presidium of the Provincial Executive Committee. In case of special incidents, extraordinary conferences may be convened.

Chapter IV

Article 51: With a view to examining the finances of Soviets at all levels, an Examination Committee may be organized to undertake this work. The members of the Finance Examination Committee shall be appointed by the presidium of the executive committee at the higher level or at the corresponding level.

Article 52: The District Executive Committee must make a work report to the voters of the district once every two months. The County Executive Committee must make a work report to the voters within the county once every four months. The Provincial Executive Committee must make a work report to the voters within the province once every six months. The masses of voters may criticize the work of the government at these work report assemblies.

Article 53: These work reports may be written out in documentary form, and a member of the executive committee or a subordinate Soviet government may be entrusted to deliver the report to the masses of voters on their behalf. Opinions raised by the voters must be forwarded to the government that prepared the work report for reference.

Chapter V: Methods of Work

Article 54: The working styles of Soviets at all levels are largely similar. The general working methods are hereby prescribed as follows:
A. Meetings.
B. Periodic inspection of the work of various sections, departments, and subordinate Soviet governments.
C. Periodically listen to, at meetings, the work reports of various sections, departments, and subordinate Soviet governments and examine them.
D. Periodically report on one's own work to the voters.
E. Organize revolutionary emulation, and conduct periodic reviews of emulation achievements.
F. Public notices, circulars, etc.
G. Use various means to disseminate widely the various resolutions of the Soviet government among the masses.

Article 55: Meetings are classified into: the executive group meetings of the various sections of City Soviets; the plenary working personnel meetings of the various sections; the committee meetings of the various departments of County and Provincial Executive Committees; presidium meetings; plenary executive committee meetings; plenary delegate conferences of City Soviets; and congresses of District, County, and Provincial Soviets.

Articles 56. Each Section and each Department must inspect the organs under its jurisdiction or related to it at least once every two months. The results of the inspection shall be reported at the meeting of the Section’s executive officers or at the general meeting of the people, or at the meeting of the Department’s committee members.

Article 57. The Presidium must inspect the work of each Section and each Department at least once every two months. The Presidium must inspect the work of the Soviet government under its jurisdiction at least once every three months.

The results of the inspection shall be reported at the meeting of all committee members of the Presidium or the Executive Committee.

Article 58. Each Section or each Department shall periodically hear work reports from the organs under its respective jurisdiction at the meetings of the Section or Department. The Presidium shall periodically hear work reports from each Section and each Department, as well as from lower-level Soviet governments. The Executive Committee shall periodically hear work reports from the Presidium or lower-level Soviet governments.

Article 59. Organize various competitions: group versus group, village versus village, city versus city, district versus district, province versus province. Conclude competition treaties, and upon the expiration of the treaties, conduct a review of the competition results.

The higher-level Soviet government shall dispatch representatives to review and judge the results of the competitions, and award certain prizes to the winners.

Article 60. Through proclamations, public notices, orders, wall newspapers, pamphlets, and so forth, ensure that the policy resolutions of the Soviet government penetrate deeply among the masses.

Article 61. The Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspection Department has its special tasks and may establish complaint bureaus to receive complaints from workers and peasants.

At the same time, it may entrust faithful and reliable worker and peasant cadres to collect complaints from the worker and peasant masses on its behalf.

Furthermore, complaint boxes must be hung in each locality so that the worker and peasant masses may submit written opinions.

Additionally, it may organize shock brigades of the worker and peasant masses to carry out sudden inspections of the work of certain organs, in order to expose the false fronts of bureaucrats and corrupt elements. It may also organize mass tribunals to try bureaucratically corrupt elements who have violated the law.

Chapter VI: Concrete Work of Local Soviet Governments
Article 62. The concrete work of local Soviet governments, from township Soviets and city Soviets up to provincial executive committees, is stipulated as follows:
1. Execute the orders, directives, instructions, decrees, resolutions, etc., of higher-level Soviet governments.
2. Formulate the government’s work plan for a period ranging from one month to six months and the work schedule for realizing such a plan.
3. Prior to convening meetings of the full assembly of Soviet representatives, meetings of all committee members of the Executive Committee, meetings of the Presidium, and meetings of each Section and Department, prepare the agenda, reports, proposals, and other materials.
4. Resolve contentious issues within that region.
5. Direct the work of lower-level Soviet governments and report to higher-level Soviet governments.
6. Conduct registrations of population, land, marriage, death and birth, contracts, documents, industry and commerce, etc.
7. Handle matters concerning land issues, such as confiscation, distribution, and the regulation of farmland and water conservancy.
8. Collect state taxes on behalf of the state.
9. Formulate and review budgets and final accounts.
10. Handle voluntary labor, such as assisting the Red Army, disaster relief, road repair, etc.
11. Organize local armed forces, handle guard duties, sentry posts, intelligence communication, assistance in Red Army operations, etc.
12. Plan and execute construction projects within that locality.
13. Carry out cultural and educational undertakings within the territory of that Soviet.
14. Municipal construction.
15. Management of civil police and criminal investigation.
16. Conduct health and sanitation affairs.
17. Struggle against bureaucrats and corrupt elements.
18. Realization of labor insurance.
19. Carry out social insurance undertakings.

Article 63. All revenues of each level of local Soviet government organs must be paid in full to the respective level organs of the People’s Commissariat of Finance of the Central Government, as items of national treasury revenue of the Chinese Soviet Republic.

Article 64. The expenditures of local Soviet governments must be formulated into draft budgets and submitted to the higher-level Soviet government for approval. Expenditures shall be made in accordance with the approved budget.

Article 65. No expenditure under item one shall be diverted to another purpose. If diversion to another purpose is necessary, approval must be obtained from the higher-level Soviet before such diversion can occur.

Article 66. The amount stipulated in the budget shall not be exceeded. If it is necessary to exceed the budget, approval must be obtained from the higher-level Soviet.

Article 67. After the budget period expires, two copies of a final account must be prepared in the same format. One copy shall be submitted to the higher-level Soviet government for approval, and the other shall be retained within that Soviet government for reference during inspections.

Article 68. Any violation of the financial expenditure procedures stipulated in these regulations shall be punished as wanton squandering of public funds.

Chapter VIII: Signatures on Documents
Article 69. Documents of local Soviet governments must be signed by the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman. If the Chairman is absent, the Vice-Chairman shall act as Chairman and sign in the name of the Chairman. For Soviet governments without a Vice-Chairman, the Chairman shall sign; if the Chairman is absent, the Acting Chairman may sign.

Article 70. Documents related to a specific Section or Department must be signed jointly by the Chairman and the head of that Section or Department.

Chapter IX: Inspection of Working Personnel of Local Soviet Governments
Article 71. When local Soviet governments hire working personnel, two copies of a curriculum vitae shall be filled out. One copy shall be stored in the Soviet government where the working personnel are employed, and the other copy shall be sent to the Soviet government one level higher for the purpose of inspection.

Article 72. Higher-level Soviet governments have the authority to inspect and remove hired working personnel of lower-level Soviet governments at any time.

Article 73. These Provisional Organizational Regulations take effect from the date of promulgation.

Chairman of the Central Executive Committee
Mao Zedong
Vice-Chairmen
Xiang Ying
Zhang Guotao

Appendix: Organization System Chart
Organization System Chart of District, County, and Provincial Executive Committees
[Document Section: Food Department
General Affairs Office — ^
Printing Section, Accounting Section, Section, Section
Health and Culture Department
Department
Receiving and Sending Communications Units
Labor Department — Civil Police Office, Municipal Administration Office
Presidium
Criminal Investigation Bureau
Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspection Department
Complaint Bureau
Military Department
Land Department
Finance [illegible]

--- Notes

Note: The organization system of district and county executive committees is the same as that of the provincial level.
[Remaining text appears to be garbled or corrupted and cannot be meaningfully translated.]