Since the Central Committee announced on September 10 that all levels of government should, in accordance with electoral regulations, carry out re-elections at their respective levels, nearly a month has passed. An examination of the results of these re-elections reveals the following:  First, not a single county has completed its elections as prescribed by Instruction No. 16. Second, electoral campaigns at all levels have been conducted peacefully; no attempts were made to mobilize the masses through struggle. Third, the electoral campaign has been separated from the urgent tasks of the ongoing war—either all war-mobilization efforts have been abandoned in favor of the election, or, conversely, busywork on war mobilization has led to the suspension of the re-election drive (for example, in Wantai County, it was stated that re-election would only proceed after the issuance of war bonds). Fourth, in violation of electoral regulations and without genuine voter selection, representatives have been appointed in a perfunctory manner; even non-aligned elements and new opportunists have been foisted upon the electorate as delegates (as seen in the Xichang County Delegates’ Congress). Fifth, both provincial and county authorities have displayed a spirit of laxity and passivity toward the electoral campaign.

Based on these observations, the current electoral campaign has yielded very little of substance, clearly demonstrating that the various levels of government have failed to grasp politically the importance of re-election and of strengthening local soviet governments as a crucial foundation for leading the working and peasant masses to crush the enemy’s major offensive. Moreover, it has starkly exposed the bureaucratic tendencies pervading the implementation of Instruction No. 170 by soviet organs at all levels.

The Central Executive Committee holds that a robust local soviet government constitutes a powerful lever for effectively leading the working and peasant masses to completely defeat the enemy’s large-scale attack. At the same time, mindful of past instances during the Second Counter-Encirclement Campaign, when hostile elements concealed within soviet institutions precipitated serious incidents such as defections, the Committee has decided to conduct a rigorous review of this electoral process. Any elections found to be inconsistent with the following stipulations shall be declared invalid and must be re-held.  First, broad sections of the electorate must be mobilized to convene voters’ assemblies and directly elect candidates. Second, those elected must enjoy the consent and support of the majority of voters (as has recently occurred in many localities, where lists were first drawn up—and sometimes even approved by higher authorities—before being presented to the voters’ assembly; this is a contrived, top-down procedure that violates the principle of voter autonomy). Third, the elected individuals must be among the most resolute revolutionaries and the most active workers within the ranks of the working and peasant masses (those who have deserted their duties or shown little initiative in routine work are unsuitable).

With regard to re-elections and to those cases specified in Instruction No. 16 that remain unaddressed, immediate action must be taken. In particular, this re-election campaign should be transformed into a mass movement aimed at mobilizing the people to implement emergency wartime mobilization measures and to strengthen the leadership bodies tasked with decisively repelling the enemy’s major offensive. To this end, the following steps should be carried out during the electoral process:  First, extensive political mobilization of the masses must be undertaken in both urban and rural areas, with the following objectives: (a) to urge the people that, in order to fully secure the realization of the Labor Law and the Land Law, they must actively participate in the electoral campaign and establish a truly powerful government capable of enforcing all decrees; (b) to help the working and peasant masses understand that the soviet government is their own government; if unworthy persons are elected to office, they will be unable to serve the interests of the people; and (c) to emphasize that the right to vote is a fundamental right of the working and peasant classes: those who possess this right enjoy numerous other rights, whereas rich peasants, landlords, and capitalists are deprived of it. Consequently, landlords receive no land, rich peasants are allocated poor-quality plots, and capitalists hold no official positions. Therefore, the people must not relinquish their voting rights. Second, as part of this political mobilization, announcements should first be made to the masses in each village and neighborhood, calling upon trade unions, poor-peasant organizations, and all other groups to convene meetings to discuss electoral matters, so that every individual becomes aware of the need for improvement in their town or commune and understands the significance of the election, thereby ensuring spontaneous participation on the designated day. Third, armed with a vigilant eye toward electoral integrity, the masses should be encouraged to actively combat hidden rich peasants and all anti-revolutionary elements while participating in the election. Fourth, during the electoral process, procedures must not only conform to the detailed rules governing elections but also include thorough scrutiny—especially of how well existing laws protect the interests of the working and peasant masses—in order to stimulate public criticism of the performance of previous representatives and government officials, to oppose bureaucracy, and to elect worthy representatives with due deliberation. Fifth, the electoral campaign and the electoral congresses should be utilized to disseminate and discuss the Central Committee’s Emergency Mobilization Order, thereby galvanizing the masses to engage in wartime mobilization. Sixth, … … … … … … … … … …, on the front against the enemy, the masses should be guided to recognize that the enemy’s major offensive is directed against the soviets and seeks to restore the oppressive rule of landlords and capitalists over the working and peasant classes. This will raise the class consciousness of the people, reinforce their resolve to fight the enemy, and ensure their steadfast commitment to safeguarding the gains of the land revolution and upholding soviet power until final victory. Seventh, the holding of district and county congresses of delegates must be predicated on the successful completion of the urban and rural electoral campaigns. These congresses must eliminate all forms of formalism and focus instead on reviewing past work and discussing the implementation of emergency wartime mobilization measures and all relevant decrees. Resolutions should be concise and concrete. Eighth, members of electoral committees should not be selected haphazardly; greater consideration should be given to electing workers, tenant farmers, laborers, women, and cadres from among the poor and middle peasantry. Furthermore, Inspection No. 171 concerning the oversight of electoral processes at all levels should rectify the practice of assessing composition solely on paper, without also evaluating candidates’ practical capabilities and their standing among the masses. Ninth, following district and county elections, all other personnel must undergo strict scrutiny regarding their social background and everyday conduct; any non-aligned or obstructive elements should be immediately removed.

The Central Committee instructs provincial and county governments to enforce these resolutions strictly. All inspectors and working teams are likewise charged with rigorously supervising electoral activities throughout the country, treating the electoral process and the strengthening of local soviets as an inseparable component of implementing the Emergency Mobilization Order.

Chairman Mao Zedong Vice-Chairmen Xiang Ying and Zhang Guotao November 1, 1931