To All Bureaus: In order to initiate a party-wide discussion on industrial and labor movement issues and to correct the currently severe left-leaning bias, please forward the Central Committee’s telegram asking about three questions concerning industry and the labor movement [2] to both the regional (or provincial) party committees and the sub-regional party committees for deliberation. Special attention should be given to circulating copies to cadres engaged in industrial and labor work for their consideration, and their views are to be reported back to the Central Committee.


However, when rectifying this bias, the focus should be on clarifying the cadres’ thinking; emphasis should not be placed on assigning blame for past mistakes. Instead, they should be encouraged and reassured for their hard-fought leadership of the masses, so as to effectively correct the “left” deviation without dampening morale.


The Central Committee, Yin Jing Er: In the liberated areas, labor–management relations must follow a policy of cooperation in order to achieve the goals of developing production and revitalizing the economy. This applies equally to both state-owned and private enterprises.


In every factory, the trade union and the Party branch must collaborate with the management to formulate and implement production plans, striving to produce more and better goods at lower costs, thereby increasing profits to the mutual benefit of both labor and management.


Workers’ welfare must be pursued through the development of production and economic prosperity. Any one-sided or excessive demands will only undermine the economy of the liberated areas.


Notes [1] This document is an instruction drafted by Mao Zedong on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, which was later decided not to be issued for the time being.


This document is the seventh item added by Mao Zedong to the draft of the “Several Notices of the CPC Central Committee on Economic Construction” dated March 28, 1946.


On the 29th, in a letter from Chen Boda submitting this draft notice to Ren Bishi, Mao Zedong wrote the following note: “Comrade Ren Bishi: The previously planned telegram issuing instructions on industry and the labor movement will not be sent for now. By adding one more item to this telegram, we can provide clear guidance; please make a decision accordingly.”


[2] See pages 92–93 of this volume.