Comments on the Report Conveying and Discussing the Spirit of the Expanded Politburo Meeting by the Central-South Bureau (April 2, 1951) To Comrade Zihui [1], with notification to Comrades Shoushi, Xiaoping, Zhongxun, Yibo, Gao Gang, and Jianying [2]: We have received Comrade Zihui’s report of March 22 and approve all the policies and plans set forth therein. It is indeed essential to clearly divide the land-reform process into three stages [3]. In all new areas, cadres should be instructed to follow the prescribed steps in each of the three stages without omitting or skipping any. The post-land-reform tasks for the countryside—production, education, and democracy—are also correctly defined: in addition to the two tasks of production and education, there is a third task, namely, establishing a democratic way of life.

In regions such as the Central South, it is necessary for each province to convene a conference of representatives from the soviet areas; however, when announcing this news in the newspapers, please use the traditional term “old revolutionary base areas” rather than the designation “soviet area.” Within factories and enterprises, wherever the work of denouncing the old system and overcoming bureaucratism has not yet been carried out, a general campaign should be launched without delay. With regard to the suppression of counterrevolutionaries, the report rightly emphasizes the need to intensify propaganda while preventing two undesirable outcomes. The proper method to avoid these pitfalls is for the local party committees at the prefectural and municipal levels to carefully scrutinize the lists prior to arrest and then to proceed strictly according to those lists. In other words, the authority to make arrests, previously delegated to the county level, should now be centralized at the level of the regional party committees. The report states: “In Henan Province, counties compile lists, submit them to the peasant congresses for discussion, and obtain approval from the prefectural administrative offices. This approach is sound and should be widely adopted.” This essentially means that the power of arrest at the county level is being brought back under the control of the regional party committees. The practice followed by the Tianjin Prefectural Administrative Office is likewise the most reliable. As for the cleansing of the leading organs of the Party, government, and military, as well as of key departments, a plan should be drawn up and implementation begun immediately. You have already been informed of the experience gained in the Southwest [4]. Recently, Comrade Rao Shoushi submitted a report [ ] outlining specific steps and methods, which has been circulated; please act accordingly.

Mao Zedong April 2 Based on the manuscript publication.

Notes [1] Zihui refers to Deng Zihui, who at the time served as the Third Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s Central-South Bureau. [2] Shoushi refers to Rao Shoushi, First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s East China Bureau. Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s Southwest Bureau. Zhongxun refers to Xi Zhongxun, First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s Northwest Bureau. Yibo refers to Bo Yibo, First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s North China Bureau. Gao Gang was then Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s Northeast Bureau. Jianying refers to Ye Jianying, First Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s South China Branch. [ ] The report of the CPC Central Committee’s Central-South Bureau dated March 22, 1951, proposed that land reform must be conducted in three stages. The first stage involves widespread campaigns to eliminate bandits, oppose local tyrants, return deposits, reduce rents, and undermine the political dominance of landlords; the second stage consists of class differentiation, confiscation and expropriation, and the complete eradication of the landlord class; and the third stage entails re-examination and education, along with the issuance of land titles. [4] Refers to the summary report dated March 8, 1951, issued by the Public Security Department of the Southwest Military-Administrative Commission to all provincial public security bureaus and forwarded to the Central Public Security Department, concerning the cleansing of reactionary elements in finance, transportation, and other sectors.  [ ] Refers to Rao Shoushi’s report of March 29, 1951, addressed to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee, on issues such as the three-tiered screening—outer, middle, and inner—during the suppression of counterrevolutionaries.  note 3.