On the Revision and Supplement to the Ratio Standards for Residents and Soviet Deputies

(January 28, 1932)

At present, the Chinese revolution is still in the midst of a fierce struggle. When the Soviet government promulgates various regulations, it must first consider whether they are suited to the conditions of the current struggle. This principle should be followed in promulgating all regulations. Therefore, the ratio of residents to Soviet deputies stipulated in the detailed electoral rules must also be based on this principle; the ratio of residents to deputies should not be set too rigidly. In order to suit the current environment of revolutionary struggle and to guarantee the leading position of the proletariat within Soviet organs, the ratio of residents to deputies for the current election must undergo slight revisions and supplements to the previously promulgated detailed electoral rules. The new standards for the ratio of residents to deputies are hereby stipulated as follows:

1. Township Soviets: For poor peasants, middle peasants, independent laborers, etc., one formal deputy may be elected for every fifty persons; for workers, coolies, and hired farmhands, one formal deputy may be elected for every thirteen persons; where the stipulated number is not reached, one formal deputy may also be elected.

2. City Soviets directly under the county: For the urban poor and the poor peasants, middle peasants, and independent laborers within the surrounding areas under their jurisdiction, one formal deputy may be elected for every eighty persons; for workers, coolies, and hired farmhands, one formal deputy may be elected for every twenty persons; where the stipulated number is not reached, one formal deputy may also be elected.

3. City Soviets directly under the province: For the urban poor and the poor peasants, middle peasants, etc., in the vicinity, one formal deputy may be elected for every four hundred persons; for workers, coolies, and hired farmhands, one formal deputy may be elected for every one hundred persons; where the stipulated number is not reached, one formal deputy may also be elected.

4. District Soviet Congresses shall be composed of deputies from the various township Soviets and deputies from local armed forces. One formal deputy to participate in the district congress may be elected for every two hundred residents; where the stipulated number is not reached, one formal deputy may also be elected.

5. County Soviet Congresses shall be composed of deputies elected by the district congresses and city Soviets, as well as deputies from local armed forces and the Red Army. One formal deputy to participate in the county Soviet congress may be elected for every one thousand two hundred rural residents. In terms of deputy composition, workers, coolies, and hired farmhands shall together account for twenty-five percent, and soldiers shall account for thirty percent. One formal deputy to participate in the county congress may be elected for every four hundred urban residents. In terms of deputy composition, workers, hired farmhands, and coolies shall together account for fifty percent.

6. Provincial Soviet Congresses shall be composed of deputies elected by the county congresses and the city Soviets directly under the province, as well as deputies from the Red Army and local armed forces. One formal deputy may be elected for every five thousand rural residents. In terms of deputy composition, workers, coolies, and hired farmhands shall together account for twenty-five percent, and soldiers shall account for ten percent. One formal deputy may be elected for every two thousand urban residents. In terms of deputy composition, hired farmhands, workers, and coolies shall together account for fifty percent.

Alternate deputies at all levels of Soviets shall be in the proportion of one-fifth of the formal deputies; that is, for every five formal deputies elected, one alternate deputy may be additionally elected. Where there are fewer than five formal deputies, one alternate deputy shall also be elected. Alternate deputies participating in Soviet meetings or congresses shall have the right to speak but not the right to vote. When a formal deputy is absent, the alternate deputy shall be promoted to fill the vacancy.

(Note 1) For deputies to the district, county, and provincial Soviet congresses, the standards for deputies who are workers, coolies, hired farmhands, and Red Army soldiers shall be determined before the election of deputies. The city Soviets, township Soviets, and the district and county congresses must all pay attention to the composition of workers, coolies, hired farmhands, and Red Army soldiers.

(Note 2) The electoral procedures for local armed forces and the Red Army shall be stipulated separately by the detailed rules for local armed forces and the Red Army.

The above stipulations supplement the deficiencies of the detailed electoral rules. Apart from the revision of the ratio of residents to deputies, all other procedures shall be carried out in accordance with the stipulations of the detailed electoral rules. Upon receiving this directive, the Soviet governments at all levels shall immediately proceed with the current election in compliance with the instructions of this directive. This is the order.

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