(September 9, 1950)
This letter[1] expresses a certain view regarding the Party’s organizational condition and cadre policy, contending that
the Party emphasizes the use of mediocrities and does not place weight on capable individuals, expressing great pessimism about this and hoping for improvement. The intention of this letter is good, and some of the situations it points out merit attention; but its fundamental view is wrong. The Party has grown up from among the masses, and the cultural level and political level of the masses are linked to the Party’s organizational condition. Such a condition will change as economic work and educational work develop, and can only change thereby. Moreover, it cannot be that one or two rectification campaigns will greatly raise the cultural and political level of large numbers of cadres of peasant origin. The viewpoint of people like [the author] who look down upon democratic personages represents certain narrow-minded ideas of the peasants, which will change through education and the evolution of history. The problem lies in education and more revolutionary experience, not in something that can be solved by advocating “exalting the worthy” and “exalting unity.”

Mao Zedong

[1] Refers to a letter written to Mao Zedong on August 30, 1950, by someone signing as “Wuming.”

Is it not related to the peasants’ loyal revolution?
[1]

The author of this letter is an intellectual who is very unaccustomed to the narrow-minded ideas of the peasants. In fact, worker and peasant cadres can make progress through education.

This condition, when demanded of ordinary cadres, is somewhat too harsh. Loyalty is the primary condition, and our cadres are generally loyal to the people, yet the author looks down upon them.

This is the view of a bookish scholar.
[1]

[1] This comment is written next to the following passage in the letter: “The viewpoint of mediocrity has already formed a powerful ruling force. Do not misunderstand that this fact contradicts our great revolutionary achievements; this is related to time, place, and various complex conditions. If analyzed concretely, in the future peaceful economic construction undertakings, if this viewpoint continues to rule, it will become a fatal flaw. Chairman Mao understands the lessons of history far more profoundly than we do.”

[2] This sentence is directed at the line in the letter: “Confucius even had doubts about his favorite disciple Yan Hui, which shows how difficult it is to understand people.”

Where are so many senior intellectuals to be found at present?
[1]

[1] This comment is written next to a passage in the letter concerning what kind of people should do cadre work. The passage reads: “To place the most difficult work on the shoulders of some comrades with the lowest level of Marxism-Leninism, is that not intentionally letting them make mistakes? I think this may be the key of keys to the problem.”