--- Notes



Commentary on the Forwarded Report Concerning the North China Revolutionary University’s Campaign for “Loyalty, Sincerity, and Political Consciousness” (May 4, 1951) This document [1] is hereby sent to the bureaus of East China, Central-South China, South China, Southwest China, Northwest China, and Northeast China, for their reference in conducting investigations to root out counterrevolutionaries within government organs, schools, and the armed forces. The experience set forth herein is highly instructive. Mao Zedong, May 4. Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Refers to the report submitted to the Central Committee on April 29, 1951, by Liu Lantao, President of the North China People’s Revolutionary University, detailing the situation and lessons learned from the university’s campaign for “Loyalty, Sincerity, and Political Consciousness.”

The report states that the purpose of this campaign was to clearly demarcate the boundary between revolutionaries and counterrevolutionaries, to dispel unnecessary anxieties among many students so that they could study with peace of mind; at the same time, to expose and suppress counterrevolutionary elements concealed among the student body, thereby purifying the ranks and facilitating efforts to win over and reform the majority while consolidating the united front. The principal lessons drawn from this campaign are as follows:

1. The objectives must be clear—primarily to distinguish between revolutionaries and counterrevolutionaries—rather than to engage in debates over ideological viewpoints, personal conduct, or attitudes toward study.

2. Leading officials should deliver mobilization speeches that get straight to the point, explain the policy directly, and urge those with problems to face their prospects squarely, place their trust in the policy, cast aside their misgivings, and make full, honest confessions. The guiding principles are: (a) reliance on self-awareness and voluntary participation, without pursuit or coercion; (b) focus solely on politically relevant matters; (c) flexibility in form—confessions may be made in writing or orally; (d) adherence to factual accuracy, neither exaggerating nor minimizing the facts.

3. Timely resolution of the masses’ concerns is essential to achieve unified understanding, correctly identify friend from foe, draw clear lines of demarcation, isolate and weaken reactionary elements, and build a broad popular consensus in support of suppressing counterrevolutionaries.

4. A strong leadership body must be established to maintain strict control, ensure unified planning, conduct frequent inspections, keep all actions synchronized, and know when to stop.

5. Those who have committed grave crimes yet refuse to confess should be publicly denounced, their offenses announced, formal conclusions reached, and arrest ordered. Differentiated treatment should be accorded to those who genuinely repent, those whose repentance is incomplete, and those who show no remorse whatsoever.