Speech at the Fourth Session of the First National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (February 7, 1953)

Chairman Mao pointed out that this session, together with its reports, discussions, and resolutions, were all most commendable. After congratulating the conference on its success, Chairman Mao issued three directives.

First, the struggle to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea must be intensified. Because U.S. imperialism persists in detaining Chinese and Korean prisoners of war, sabotages the armistice negotiations, and seeks to expand the war in Korea, the resistance against U.S. aggression and support for Korea must continue to be strengthened. We are indeed committed to peace; however, so long as U.S. imperialism refuses to abandon its outrageous and unreasonable demands and its schemes to escalate aggression, the Chinese people are resolved to fight side by side with the Korean people without letup. This is not because we are bellicose; we are eager to achieve an immediate cease-fire and leave the remaining issues to be settled in due course. But since U.S. imperialism will not agree to this, very well—let the fighting go on. However many years U.S. imperialism wishes to prolong the war, we are prepared to fight for just as long, right up until the day it finally lays down its arms and the Chinese and Korean peoples achieve complete victory.

Second, we must study the Soviet Union. We are engaged in a great national construction drive; the tasks before us are arduous, and our experience remains limited. Therefore, we must earnestly learn from the Soviet Union’s advanced experience. All sectors—within and outside the Communist Party, veteran and new cadres, technical personnel and intellectuals, as well as worker and peasant masses—must approach the study of the Soviet model with sincere humility. We should not only study the theories of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin, but also the Soviet Union’s cutting-edge science and technology. A nationwide upsurge in studying the Soviet example must be launched to advance our nation-building efforts.

Third, we must combat bureaucratism within leadership organs and among leading cadres at all levels. At present, serious instances of commandism and violations of discipline are prevalent in many grassroots organizations and among grassroots cadres. The emergence and spread of these maladies are inextricably linked to bureaucratism in higher-level leadership organs and among leading officials. Even at the central level, many leading cadres in numerous departments remain content merely to sit in their offices drafting resolutions and issuing directives, focusing solely on assigning tasks while neglecting to descend to the lower levels to grasp the actual situation and inspect the implementation of policies. As a result, their leadership often becomes divorced from the masses and from reality, giving rise to numerous grave problems in the course of work. To carry out large-scale national construction, we must overcome bureaucratism and maintain close ties with the people. Leading cadres at both central and local levels should regularly go down to the grassroots to conduct inspections. If the higher echelons of leadership can eradicate bureaucratism, the harmful practices of commandism and disciplinary breaches at the lower levels will likewise be eliminated. Once these shortcomings have been removed, our national planning and construction will surely succeed; the system of people’s democracy will surely develop; the imperialists’ plots will surely be defeated; and we shall undoubtedly attain complete victory!

Printed according to the news report published in the People’s Daily on February 8, 1953. (With revisions by Mao Zedong)