Notes and Revisions on the Central Rural Work Department’s Report on the Fourth National Conference on Mutual Assistance and Cooperation (December 30, 1954) 1. To Liu, Zhou, and Deng [1]: Please review again and then issue immediately. Several sentences have been added on pages 9, 10, 11, and elsewhere. [2] Printed from Mao Zedong’s manuscript on December 30. The Party’s class policy in the countryside is as follows: rely on the poor peasants (including all newly middle peasants who were originally poor peasants; such poor peasants account for 50 to 70 percent of the total rural population), firmly unite with the middle peasants, develop mutual assistance and cooperation, gradually restrict, and ultimately eliminate exploitation by the rich peasants.

Third, putting forward the slogan of relying on the poor peasants—including those who were originally poor but have now risen to become new middle peasants—means that within the target group for mutual assistance and cooperation (i.e., hired laborers, poor peasants, and middle peasants who have already obtained land), they constitute an absolute majority. Even when considering the entire rural population (including landlords and rich peasants), they still make up 50 to 70 percent, thus holding a numerical advantage. Fourth, the “middle peasants” referred to here are the old middle peasants. Their proportion in the total rural population ranges from 20 to 40 percent; this figure is second only to that of the poor peasants. Moreover, they enjoy relatively better economic conditions. If we fail to unite them properly and dampen their enthusiasm, it would be a grave loss. Fifth, the appointment and removal of cadres must follow the democratic procedures stipulated in the statutes of the cooperatives. However, particular emphasis should be placed on cultivating leading cadres who are currently still poor peasants or come from poor peasant backgrounds. At the same time, old middle peasants must also be included in the leadership—in sufficient numbers, ideally accounting for about three-tenths of the leadership team. Printed according to Mao Zedong’s revised text.

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Notes [1] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. [2] There are four passages added by Mao Zedong to the draft report of the Central Rural Work Department dated November 19, 1954, concerning the Fourth National Conference on Mutual Assistance and Cooperation, as seen in sections (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this document. The text printed in Song typeface represents Mao’s revisions and additions.