Comment on the Article “Serious Violations of Policy in Tax Collection by Shanghai Tax Authorities”
(March 21, 1953)

Comrade Bo Yibo:
The Shanghai Tax Bureau should be rectified, and appropriate measures should be taken against those guilty of serious violations of law and discipline. We must seize the initiative to avoid being sued by capitalists and falling into a passive position.

Mao Zedong
March 21

This article was published in the fourth issue of *Party Newspaper Newsletter*, compiled and printed by *People’s Daily* on March 18, 1953. The article stated that since launching a labor competition last year, the Shanghai Municipal Tax Bureau had repeatedly engaged in serious policy violations, such as prepayment of commodity taxes and business taxes, in order to "fulfill tasks" and "win the red flag." Businesspeople complained: "You hold labor competitions for glory, but we have to pay in advance." Even more seriously, some tax offices resorted to illegal means that violated human rights to forcibly collect taxes. Such actions had already provoked strong dissatisfaction among businesspeople, with some openly cursing the government in the marketplace.

[2] Bo Yibo was then Deputy Director of the Financial and Economic Committee of the Government Administration Council and Minister of Finance.