Endorsement on the Issuance of the Instruction by the Political Department of the South China Military Region on the Issue of Uniting with and Remolding Intellectuals

(December 23, 1951)

Comrade Luo Ronghuan:[1]

This document[2] is very well done. Suggestions:

(1) Print and distribute it to the political departments of all major military regions and political departments at all levels, instructing them to follow suit;

(2) Publish it in the journal of the General Political Department.

Mao Zedong

December 23, 1951

[1] Luo Ronghuan was then serving as Director of the General Political Department of the People’s Revolutionary Military Commission.

[2] This refers to the instruction issued by the Political Department of the South China Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army on December 13, 1951, to its subordinate units regarding the issue of uniting with and remolding intellectuals. The instruction analyzed the achievements and shortcomings in implementing the Party’s policy on intellectuals within the armed forces over the preceding two years and clearly stated: In order to further strengthen the unity between workers and peasants and intellectuals within the armed forces, reinforce the organizational foundation of our military modernization, and mobilize all intellectuals in the armed forces to strive for the fulfillment of cultural education tasks, it is necessary to extensively and earnestly conduct an education campaign on the Party’s policy on intellectuals throughout the entire Party and the entire armed forces, especially among all cadres. (1) Attach importance to uniting with intellectuals, warmly cherish them, regard them as one of the Party’s precious assets; show concern for the difficulties in their practical lives and help them effectively resolve these difficulties. Educate everyone to recognize that revolutionary intellectuals have always been a vital factor in the Chinese revolution. From the perspective of the past, present, and especially future development of our military construction, intellectuals play an even more significant role. Therefore, uniting with, winning over, and remolding intellectuals is a consistent policy of the Party. Any attitude of passivity or indifference toward intellectuals constitutes a violation of the Party’s policy. (2) Actively strengthen the education and remolding of intellectuals, seriously address their erroneous tendencies of slighting workers and peasants and disregarding concrete practice, which stem from petty-bourgeois sentiments, and patiently educate them. (3) Boldly employ intellectuals. Those intellectuals already assigned to specific posts must be given both responsibilities and authority, allowing them to undergo trials in practical work. Relatively outstanding intellectuals should be actively nurtured, boldly promoted and utilized, and correctly graded during rank evaluations.