Comment on the Experience Report on “Cleaning Up the Middle Stratum”
(June 19, 1951)

This is a large-scale examination experience involving over 27,000 people[1] and is well worth studying and emulating by all localities. Please forward it to the Party committees of all provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions for reference after the central bureaus have read it.

Mao Zedong
June 19

--- Notes

[1] Refers to the report submitted by the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on June 13, 1951, to the Shandong Sub-Bureau, all provincial Party committees, district Party committees, municipal Party committees, and the Central Committee, regarding the situation and experience of the East China Military and Political Committee in “cleaning up the middle stratum.” The report stated that the work of “cleaning up the middle stratum” by the East China Military and Political Committee began on April 5. The basic policy was to study documents and launch a mass confession campaign. Tactically, it strictly delineated the boundaries between the enemy and ourselves, as well as internal and external limits, united the majority, isolated the minority, struck at the principal reactionary elements, and strictly guarded against the occurrence of “forced confessions, blind belief in confessions, and trusting confessions without verification.” Although the entire process has not yet fully concluded, the mass confession campaign has been universally launched. The total number of participants in this study was 27,302. The entire study process was broadly divided into four stages: studying documents on suppressing counterrevolutionaries, examination and registration, launching the confession campaign, and examination and disposition. The report stated that the work of “cleaning up the middle stratum” is a very complex and meticulous task. In addition to grasping the specific characteristics of each developmental stage and their interconnections, the leadership must also pay full attention to the following points: (1) Under the established policy, adopt a method of unraveling step by step and advancing gradually, that is, from general study to individual confessions, from general form-filling and registration to the investigation of reactionary party and league members, spies, and counterrevolutionary weapons and documents. (2) The purpose of the study must be clear, and the boundary between revolution and counterrevolution must be clearly drawn. Among counterrevolutionary elements, distinctions must also be made between major and minor crimes, and the policies of the People’s Government must be repeatedly explained. (3) All organizational forms and working methods must appropriately accommodate the characteristics of the united front. The study committee should include democratic personages with status and prestige. Apart from Party secrets, generally important issues should be discussed in the study committee, and consultations should be held frequently with non-Party personages. (4) All departments must ensure that the leading cadres take responsibility, personally involve themselves, and lead the study. (5) The principle of voluntariness and self-awareness must be applied to those making confessions, and any form of “forced confessions, blind belief in confessions, and trusting confessions without verification” must be prevented. (6) Selecting and cultivating models and organizing demonstrations is one of the effective methods for the confession campaign. After model reports, a general upsurge of confession should be promptly set off.