Letter to Huang Yanpei
(March 12, 1954)

Source: Shuxin, pp. 477-478.

See test Feb. 17, 1951, source note.

Vice-premier Huang:

I have received and read your letter of March 8. I have also forwarded the
appended article to Premier Zhou and Minister Li Weihan’ for discussion and
their information. The term “people” refers to the bourgeoisie and the democratic parties, and does not include the landlord class or the bureaucratic capitalist class; in other words, it does not “include everyone.” The phrase
“Painless labor” is best left out in the publication,’ because, in fact, those
people who do not have much [class and political) awareness would feel some
pain. If we write too many checks,’ we may cause [people to have) dreams
and fantasies, and if we do not then double [our efforts] in educating [them]
and studying, if we do not raise [their] levels of political consciousness, those
people who do feel pain would resent us. I pray that you would give some
consideration to this.

My respectful regards for your health.

Mao Zedong
March 12, 1954
Hangzhou

Notes

_ | According to the source this refers ta a draft nf Huang's speech to Shanghai industrial and
Sommercial circles on March 1, 1US4. Tn this draft, Huang had phinned fo use the metaphor of
“painless labor” (o describe the transition of industrial and commercial enterprises to ihe.
stage. On Mao's siggestion, Huang eventually revised the draft and eliminated the pep
Premier Zhou refers w Zhou Enlai, who was premier of the GAC at this time; for Li \y
see text Apr. 9, 1951, source note, ;
2. For the term “democratic pasties,” see text Sept. 21, 1949. note | For the terry ©
cratic capitalism.” see text Oct. 24, 1949/2), note 1. a
3, See note |.
4. This is a common Chinese saying meaning “making promises.”