Commentary on the East China Military Region Party Committee’s Directive Calling for a Large-Scale Campaign Against Corruption, Wastefulness, and Bureaucracy (December 30, 1951) To All Major Military Regions, the Chinese People’s Volunteers, and All Central Bureaus:  (1) The directive of the East China Military Region Party Committee dated December 28 concerning the vigorous launch of a campaign against corruption, wastefulness, and bureaucracy [1] is hereby approved as entirely correct.  (2) This directive is to be transmitted to all major military regions and the Chinese People’s Volunteers, with instructions that all subordinate military region-level units follow suit without exception. Only by proceeding in this manner can we seize the initiative; otherwise, we shall find ourselves placed on the defensive. During a certain period, the East China Military Region was somewhat reactive, but it has now fully assumed the initiative.  (3) The request of the East China Military Region Party Committee to postpone the reporting deadline is approved. Provided that leading cadres at regimental level and above resolve to launch a forceful and thorough three-pronged campaign in close conjunction with the reorganization effort, a postponement of the first report until the end of January is permissible.  (4) The East China Military Region Party Committee’s directive of December 28 is to be published in internal party publications so that a broad contingent of cadres may read it. Mao Zedong, December 30, 1951, printed from the manuscript.

Note [1] This directive of the CPC East China Military Region Committee analyzes the grave situation of corruption and waste within the troops under its jurisdiction, pointing out that such serious manifestations are most prevalent in the organs and units stationed in Nanjing and Shanghai, particularly in respect to extravagance and profligacy, where the military region’s own organs have in fact taken the lead. Although the military region party committee has generally called for resistance to and elimination of these dangerous tendencies, and has processed numerous cases of corruption, punishing many individuals, it has failed to mobilize the masses extensively and conduct a systematic struggle. It has not concentrated its efforts on severely punishing major instances of corruption and waste, thereby being unable to stem the tide of such practices. Moreover, during the preceding phase emphasis was placed on reorganization while neglecting the necessity of launching a three-pronged campaign prior to that process, resulting in the high-level meeting held in early December failing to engage in a full discussion of the issue of combating corruption and waste. It was only after Chairman Mao again issued a telegraphic instruction that we were able to integrate reorganization with the three-pronged campaign. The directive calls upon all comrades in the East China Military Region to recognize that areas such as Shanghai and Nanjing constitute the regions in the country where bourgeois forces and influences are most concentrated, and that over the past three years their corrosive impact on the armed forces has been extremely alarming. Given the specific circumstances confronting the troops in this region, it is all the more imperative to initiate an intense and resolute ideological struggle against corruption, waste, and moral decay, so as to break through the encirclement imposed by capitalist influences, preserve the purity of our army, consolidate the troops, and strengthen national defense. Whether or not we can raise our level of awareness and first combat bureaucratism will be the key factor determining our ability to overcome capitalist influence, eradicate corruption and waste, and carry out the reorganization work successfully. Accordingly, the East China Military Region Party Committee has decided to revise the work plan for January, February, and March of 1952. January will be devoted primarily to waging the anti-corruption and anti-waste campaign in conjunction with reorganization, while February and March will focus on reorganization and vocational transition work, continuing to deepen the three-pronged struggle.