Commentary of the CPC Sichuan West Regional Committee on Its Experience in Organizing Non-CPC Democratic Personages to Participate in the Land Reform (March 30, 1951)

To the Central Bureaus of East China, Central-South China, Southwest China, Northwest China, and North China; also forwarded to sub-bureaus, provincial committees, regional committees, and municipal and prefectural committees of major and medium-sized cities:

Apart from the fact that the work of resisting U.S. aggression and aiding Korea must be carried out jointly with the democratic parties and non-CPC personages—this need hardly be reiterated—land reform and the campaign to suppress counter-revolutionaries likewise require the active participation of the democratic parties and non-CPC personages; the more the better.

You are requested to draw up a plan whereby, during this year’s summer, autumn, and winter land-reform campaigns and the anti-counterrevolutionary campaign, several dozen groups composed of members of the various democratic parties, non-CPC personages, professors, teachers, and capitalists from both large and medium-sized cities are organized to go to the countryside for inspection or to take part in the work.

As long as they express a willingness to go, they should be warmly welcomed. There is no need to fear their participation or to view them with suspicion, for they are not reactionaries. Whether their observations are favorable or critical, all should be allowed to see for themselves, to engage in lively discussion, and to freely air their views; there can be only benefits, no harm.

With regard to the anti-counterrevolutionary campaign in the cities, their participation should be even more strongly encouraged. The entire population of each city ought to be involved in discussing this campaign, so that everyone will remain vigilant against counter-revolutionaries.

Attached is the report of the CPC Sichuan West Regional Committee; please review it.

Mao Zedong March 30 Based on the manuscript.