Unfold a Mass Movement to Support
a National Currency
(August 28, 1933)
A national currency is a tool for developing the national economy and facilitating business transactions among the masses. The government has a fixed plan
and adequate guarantees with regard to the amount of national currency in circulation and its strength and stability. Recently in some places there have arisen the
phenomena of mistrusting the national paper currency and silver coins or devaluing the paper currency. The reason these phenomena have appeared is that because of the vigorous development of the revolutionary war, the imperialist
Guomindang has adopted a policy of economic blockade, and has gone so far as
to produce counterfeit silver coins to pass off in the soviet areas to undermine
confidence in the soviet currency. At the same time, because of the deepening
class struggle in the soviet areas, unscrupulous merchants, rich peasants, and
remnants of the landlords are striving desperately to cause trouble internally in
an attempt to sabotage the money market. On the one hand they hoard cash to
prevent it from circulating, and on the other hand they fabricate rumors, refuse to
use paper currency and silver coins, and openly or surreptitiously raise prices and
reduce the value of paper currency. These are the heinous plots and schemes of
the counterrevolutionaries within and without to sabotage the revolution. The
Central Government has ordered the presidiums, finance departments, judicial
departments. and political security bureaus of all local governments to mobilize
in unison to carry out the following measures immediately, so as to smash the
plots of the reactionaries to sabotage the economy of the soviet areas.
I. Carry out widespread propaganda and explanation among the masses. In
addition to proclamations issued by the Central Government, provincial and xian
governments are also to issue proclamations urging the masses to use the national currency universally and rousing the masses to unite and deal with the
counterrevolutionaries. Governments at all levels must call together conferences
of all local organs and mass organizations, organize and send out propaganda
teams to explain that people can have faith in the soviet paper and silver currency, explain the important political, military, financial, and economic significance of having paper currency in circulation at present, and put forth slogans
This article was first published in Hongse Zhonghua, no. 106, August 28, 1933, and we
have translated it from that source. The article is signed simply "Dong," but according to
the Nianpu, vol. 1, p. 410, it is by Mao.

such as "Support the Soviet Paper Currency," and "Revolutionary Masses Use
Revolutionary Paper Currency," and have the masses request that the soviets
severely punish those elements who willfully sabotage the currency. This is the
way to call upon the masses to create a big movement to support the national
currency.
2. Call together meetings of merchants and vendors to explain that the soviet
currency is backed by the entire national income, that it can be converted when
cash is needed for export, the distinction between soviet silver coins and the
counterfeit copper coins manufactured by the enemy, measures for punishing
those who do not use the national currency, and so on, so that they may understand fully. After the meetings it is necessary to send people to investigate, and if
there are still those engaged in sabotage, severe measures must be taken to
punish several ringleaders, especially among the unscrupulous merchants, landlords, and rich peasants, who should without delay be arrested, fined, or even be
subject to confiscation or execution by shooting.
3. All organs and armed forces without exception must use the [national]
paper currency and silver coins, and send all cash collected, no matter how much
or how little, to branch treasuries to be submitted to nearby exchange stations
or banks so that the paper currency may be exchanged for ready cash.
In this way a movement to support the soviet national currency will unfold
among the broad masses!