Develop the Economy and Culture of the Border Region[1]

(July 3, 1944)

In the year and a half since the Border Region’s Senior Cadres’ Conference of 1942, the cooperative enterprise has undergone great development, the entire work has been set on the right track, and large numbers of model cooperatives have emerged. Every model cooperative is a living textbook.

First, for whom are the cooperatives run? The cooperatives in the Border Region are run for the broad masses of the people; all economic and cultural undertakings for the Border Region’s 1.4 million common people, 100,000 troops, and school personnel must be accomplished through the cooperatives. This policy was already set at the Senior Cadres’ Conference in the winter of the year before last—this is Liu Jianzhang’s policy. Over the past year and a half, many cooperatives have moved in this direction and have all achieved great results, but there are still some cooperatives that have not resolved this issue; therefore, this cooperative conference must reaffirm this policy. Second, what affairs should the cooperatives handle? The cooperatives’ operations mainly cover ten areas: industry, agriculture, transport, animal husbandry, supply and marketing, health, credit, education, tree planting, and public welfare. Through the cooperatives, the entire population of the Border Region must be organized. Third, the cooperatives are of a united front character; all peasants, workers, landlords, and capitalists may join the cooperatives. They are organizations for economic, cultural, and social public welfare undertakings led by the government and jointly operated by the people of all strata. Fourth, all comrades engaged in government work and Party affairs work should clearly recognize the importance of the cooperative enterprise and must not harbor the slightest attitude of contempt. No economic or cultural undertaking in the Border Region can be accomplished except through the cooperatives; therefore, we must encourage more comrades to participate in the cooperative enterprise.

[1] This is part of Mao Zedong’s speech while receiving delegates to the cooperative conference.

Today the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China welcomes all comrades, expresses its concern for your enthusiasm in running the cooperatives, and hopes that when you return you will run them well.