The task of our Party's Anti-Japanese National United Front policy is as follows: except for traitors and those determined to undermine the War of Resistance and unity, Communists must cooperate unanimously with anti-Japanese people of all strata—whether they belong to parties or factions, or have no party or faction; whether they sympathize with our Party, or are only willing to cooperate with our Party on part of its program; and whether they are already working with our Party, or have yet to do so—and together strive for the overarching goal of resisting Japan and building the nation.

Through the long-term and resolute implementation of this correct policy, our Party has achieved great successes, upon which the support of the entire nation for the War of Resistance relies and through which national unity has been realized.

These are all very good circumstances.

On the other hand, however, whether within Party organizations in the anti-Japanese base areas working in government, military, Party affairs, mass movements, culture and education departments, or within underground Party organizations, there exists a serious estrangement between some Party members and some Party organizations and non-Party personnel, and the sectarian or closed-door style of work has not been entirely eliminated.

These Party members and Party organizations still do not understand the content and significance of our Party's Anti-Japanese National United Front policy.

They violate our Party's principle of maintaining close ties with the masses.

Instead of maintaining close ties with the masses, they isolate themselves from the masses; instead of standing among the masses and humbly seeking to understand their thoughts and feelings, they stand above the masses, acting self-righteously and throwing their weight around like overlords.

They are unwilling to listen to the opinions of non-Party personnel, regarding them as insignificant.

They are unwilling to learn from non-Party personnel, instead posing as leaders.

Toward non-Party personnel willing to cooperate with our Party, they either remain indifferent and withhold trust, or nitpick and demand perfection.

They are unwilling to resolutely implement the "three-thirds system"〔2〕 in government, and still take a monopolistic approach toward mass organizations.

They still do not understand that state affairs are public matters of the nation, not the private affairs of a single party or faction.

The sole task of the Communist Party is to unite all the people, fight selflessly and bravely, overthrow the national enemy, and seek benefits for the nation and the people, without any selfish interests whatsoever.

And Communists have always been only a tiny minority among the people; without the vast majority of the people understanding our Party's propositions and sincerely willing to cooperate with our Party, our Party's propositions cannot be realized.

Therefore, toward all personnel loyal to the War of Resistance, Communists have only the obligation to practice democratic cooperation with them and absolutely no right to exclude them.

In order to earnestly and thoroughly correct all sorts of undesirable phenomena and transform the Party's style of work, it is necessary to launch a struggle within the Party against subjectivism and sectarianism (i.e., closed-doorism), conduct self-criticism in all places and all departments, and present this self-criticism openly before non-Party personnel, without any toleration or concealment, so as to achieve the effect of thorough exposure and thorough correction.

At the same time, the following specific measures are stipulated, and all Party members and all Party organizations are required to earnestly and resolutely implement them.

(1) It must be regarded as a serious responsibility of every Communist to care about and listen to the opinions and demands of non-Party personnel and to learn from them. All Party members have the responsibility to regularly convey the opinions and demands of non-Party personnel (whether correct or incorrect) to the Party and to various work departments, and the leading personnel of all Party organizations and all work departments have the responsibility to consider these opinions and demands, and must duly place them on the agenda for discussion and resolution.

(2) In all anti-Japanese base areas, the "three-thirds system" shall be implemented in leading bodies at all levels within the government system, the council system, and mass organizations, with Communists accounting for only one-third and non-Party personnel willing to cooperate with our Party accounting for two-thirds. If the number of elected Communists falls short of one-third, the Party organization shall not appoint unelected Party members to make up the one-third, nor shall it squeeze out elected non-Party personnel. In these bodies, Communists must practice democratic cooperation with non-Party personnel, listen to their opinions, deliberate and decide issues together with them, and jointly observe democratic centralism, whereby the minority subordinated to the majority, the part to the whole, and the lower level to the higher level. They must also ensure that non-Party personnel have both positions and authority, dare to speak out, and dare to shoulder responsibilities.

(3) In all anti-Japanese base areas, in the government, councils, mass organizations, and other bodies, the appointment and dismissal of personnel who must be elected by the people democratically shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of the preceding article on the "three-thirds system." The appointment and dismissal of other personnel not requiring democratic election shall not be based on whether they are Party members but on criteria such as their endorsement of the War of Resistance and unity, as well as their ability, experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm for work, implementing the correct policy of appointing people on their merits.

(4) In all anti-Japanese base areas, in the government, councils, and all departments where non-Party personnel already work or should work, the tasks of Party branches are: to conduct Party education for Party members, guide them to become exemplary in their work, unite with non-Party personnel, and ensure the fulfillment of the department's work tasks. Branches shall not directly intervene in administrative leadership, still less supplant it. In administrative relations, Party members must submit to administrative leadership. In departments where non-Party personnel hold administrative leadership responsibilities, if the Party organization or Party members in that locality or department hold differing opinions on administrative work, they shall adopt appropriate methods to consult and resolve the matter with the non-Party personnel and shall not handle it directly. The phenomenon of conflating Party and government functions in certain places should be corrected. If Party members violate administrative regulations, they shall receive administrative sanctions; if their errors also involve Party discipline, they shall simultaneously face Party disciplinary sanctions. However, in administrative relations, non-Party personnel assuming administrative leadership responsibilities must also submit to the leadership of higher administrative levels.

(5) Party members and Party organizations shall not arbitrarily or baselessly suspect non-Party personnel. They must carefully understand, through friendly interactions, the history and characteristics of every non-Party person around them, and carefully understand their opinions and demands concerning the people, our Party, and their work. Their religious beliefs, intellectual freedoms, and living habits must be respected. It must be understood that the willingness of non-Party personnel to cooperate with our Party and our Party's respect for non-Party personnel are indispensable conditions for mutual cooperation.

(6) Any non-Party personnel willing to cooperate with our Party have the right to criticize our Party, its members, and its cadres. Except for malicious attacks by those who sabotage the War of Resistance and unity, all well-intentioned criticisms, whether written, verbal, or otherwise, shall be humbly listened to by Party members and Party organizations. Correct criticisms shall be accepted. Even if there are inaccuracies in the criticisms, explanations that are fair and well-intentioned may only be offered after the criticism has been fully expressed and carefully considered. It is absolutely impermissible to cover up mistakes, reject criticism from non-Party personnel, or twist well-intentioned criticism into attacks, thereby causing non-Party personnel to remain silent about the Party's errors. Non-Party personnel, in addition to filing complaints in accordance with the law with courts or administrative organs against Party members or cadres who violate government decrees or Party policies, have the right to lodge complaints with Party committees at all levels, up to the Party's Central Committee.

(7) The Xinhua Daily, the Liberation Daily, and newspapers and periodicals in all anti-Japanese base areas shall attract broad contributions from non-Party personnel, ensuring that all those opposed to fascism and Japanese imperialism have opportunities to speak in our Party's newspapers. Non-Party personnel shall also be included as much as possible on editorial committees, so as to improve the newspapers and periodicals. Party newspaper workers must learn methods and techniques for skillfully attracting non-Party personnel to write articles and reports for Party newspapers. The subjectivist and sectarian attitudes of certain Party newspaper workers must be subjected to criticism.

(8) When non-Party personnel working with our Party commit errors in their work, the relevant Party organizations and Party members must give the matter careful consideration, adopt appropriate methods, and, in the manner of candid friends, timely and sincerely inform them of the true facts and proper reasons regarding the error, and consult with them on ways to correct it and help them do so. Under no circumstances may they adopt an attitude of remaining silent and letting mistakes accumulate, or of not speaking up face-to-face while talking behind people's backs. It must be understood that such attitudes only hinder cooperation and are detrimental to non-Party personnel.

(9) In all anti-Japanese base areas, non-Party personnel working with our Party are, in legal terms, fully equal to Communists. In their work, they shall be provided with the necessary and feasible working conditions. In terms of learning, in all organs and schools where there are non-Party personnel, whether in on-the-job cadre education or school education, non-Party personnel shall have the same learning rights as Communists. In material terms, it is not a matter of empty calls for favorable treatment, but of providing genuinely necessary assistance based on the nature of the work, work requirements, and the material conditions available, and Party members must be made to understand that such assistance is appropriate.

(10) In all anti-Japanese base areas, in Party organs, military units, and schools, general Party branch meetings and small-group meetings shall permit non-Party sympathizers working in the same department to attend as observers and to express their opinions.

(11) In all anti-Japanese base areas, Party committees at the county level and above must systematically convene joint cadre meetings and forums with Party members and non-Party personnel, jointly discuss various anti-Japanese policies with non-Party personnel, and solicit their opinions on the Party.

(12) In all anti-Japanese base areas, within the Party's organization departments or departments managing cadres, specialized organs shall be established to handle non-Party cadres, responsible for contacting, registering, understanding, and caring for non-Party cadres. Within the Party's health protection committees at all levels, sections for non-Party cadres shall be established to administer the health care work for non-Party cadres.

Published based on the original document preserved in the Central Archives.
Notes
〔1〕 This is a draft decision drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. This document was ultimately not issued.
〔2〕 For the "three-thirds system," see Note 2 on page 391 of this volume.