Central Instructions and Revisions to Bo Yibo’s Report on the Three-Anti Campaign in Central Organs and Future Recommendations [1] (January 21, 1952)  I. To all departments of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC, to the Party Groups of the Central People’s Government; to all Central Bureaus, with copies forwarded to sub-bureaus, provincial, municipal, and district Party committees, as well as to prefectural and county Party committees; and to all major military regions and the Volunteer Army Party Committee, with further transmission to all levels of military region and corps/brigade Party committees:   (1) The report submitted by Comrade Bo Yibo, Chairman of the Central Savings Inspection Commission, to the CPC Central Committee on January 19 [2] is hereby approved (with certain revisions made by the Central Committee), and it is deemed correct.   (2) This report is to be distributed to Party committees and Party groups at all levels—down to the county level in local areas and to the regimental level in the armed forces—for strict compliance.   (3) The report may be published in Party periodicals. Issued by the CPC Central Committee on January 21, based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten draft.

II. In the struggle against the bourgeoisie, our focus should be on striking at a small number of large-scale illegal industrialists and merchants. As for those whose offenses are relatively minor, we should strive to have them voluntarily confess, repent, and reform themselves, winning them over to support government policies or at least maintain a neutral stance. Those engaged in legitimate business activities must be protected and united with us in the fight against unlawful traders.

III. With regard to state functionaries involved in embezzlement amounting to less than 10 million yuan, those whose circumstances are more serious should be sentenced to imprisonment for up to one year; whereas those whose offenses are lighter, who sincerely confess, return the ill-gotten gains where appropriate, publicly express remorse before the masses, and pledge never again to engage in corruption, may generally be exempted from criminal punishment and instead receive administrative sanctions such as dismissal, transfer, demotion, or formal reprimand. Among these, some who have rendered meritorious service to the revolution, have only occasionally erred, and whose offenses are extremely minor, may be entirely spared disciplinary action. There are also cases that verge on embezzlement but, given the actual circumstances, cannot strictly be classified as such. All individuals exempted from criminal penalties should be required to actively participate in anti-corruption efforts and seek to make contributions in the interests of the people. By adopting this approach, more than 80 percent of offenders can be spared criminal prosecution, thereby accelerating their education and transformation.

Printed according to Mao Zedong’s revised text. Notes [1] The portions printed in Song typeface in Sections II and III of this document represent text added and rewritten by Mao Zedong. [ ] Refers to Bo Yibo’s report dated January 19, 1952, addressed to Mao Zedong and the CPC Central Committee, concerning the current status of the Three-Anti Campaign within central-level organs and suggestions for its further advancement. The report argues that, in order to bring the Three-Anti Campaign to a climax, several policy issues must be clearly explained to both cadres and the general public. These include: the political and economic status accorded to the national bourgeoisie under the Common Program remains unchanged; in the struggle against the bourgeoisie, emphasis should be placed on targeting a few major illegal industrialists and merchants; state employees found guilty of embezzlement should be subject to criminal, administrative, or no disciplinary action depending on the specific circumstances; and the policy toward democratic personages, scientists, and engineers should fundamentally involve steadfastly uniting with them while simultaneously subjecting them to the tempering effects of class struggle during this campaign. The report further suggests that once the peak phase of the campaign against major corrupt officials has passed, the movement should transition into a stage of ideological cleansing of the bourgeoisie.    Comments on Forwarding the Notice from the Organization Department of the Central-South Bureau and Revisions to the Central Committee’s Draft Comment [1] (January 21 and February 3, 1952)  I. Comrade An Ziwen [2]: Please consider adding a brief explanatory note to this document [3] and forwarding it nationwide. Issued by Mao Zedong on January 21, based on his handwritten draft.   II. (3) The Three-Anti Campaign is one of the best methods for getting to know and educating cadres. Leading bodies at all levels—Party committees, governments, mass organizations, and military units—should take advantage of the Three-Anti struggle to conduct a thorough examination and assessment of their cadres. They must resolutely expel from the Party those cadres who have lost the proletarian stand and become corrupted through embezzlement, and remove from leadership positions a number of officials exhibiting severe bureaucratic tendencies, as well as those who are complacent, self-satisfied, inactive, indifferent, and wholly unfit for duty (some of whom should also be expelled from the Party). There should be no hesitation or regret about taking such measures; indeed, failing to demonstrate firm resolve in this regard would be a grave mistake. The liberal attitudes that have long prevailed within our Party toward such undesirable elements must be decisively overcome. At the same time, we must boldly and resolutely promote a group of outstanding cadres of high moral character and competence to leadership posts across all fields. This constitutes a crucial task in the Party’s organizational development, and all Party committees are urged to give it close attention. Printed according to Mao Zedong’s revised text. Notes [1] The portion printed in Song typeface in Section II of this document consists of text added and revised by Mao Zedong. [2] An Ziwen was then Deputy Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Organization Department and a member of the Central People’s Government’s Savings Inspection Commission. [3] Refers to a notice issued on January 16, 1952, by the Organization Department of the CPC Central-South Bureau, instructing sub-bureaus, provincial and municipal Party committees, railway Party committees, and directly affiliated Party organization departments to change their monthly party rectification reports into Three-Anti reports and submit them to the Central Committee’s Organization Department. The notice stated that since the launch of the Three-Anti Campaign throughout the region, it had become difficult to carry out planned party rectification studies in organs above the prefectural level. Meanwhile, due to the busy schedules associated with land reform and democratic reforms in rural and industrial-mining areas, extensive training of Party members was likewise impractical. Consequently, it was decided to replace the regular monthly party rectification reports, due on the 25th of each month, with Three-Anti reports during the ongoing campaign. The notice also urged all organizational departments to pay particular attention to collecting concrete evidence of each Party member and cadre’s conduct and to identify non-Party activists who demonstrated high revolutionary consciousness, clean personal histories, and sound ideological awareness, in preparation for future work on party building and expansion.