Comment on the Report on Counterrevolutionaries[1]
(July 20–21, 1955)

To be read by Liu, Zhou, Deng, Peng Zhen, Chen Yun, Lu Dingyi[2]; to be transmitted by telegraph by Shangkun[3]; also to be printed and distributed to all units in Beijing.

[1] Refers to the report submitted to the Central Committee on July 17, 1955, by the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee on the situation of the movement to eliminate hidden counterrevolutionaries. The report states that the movement to eliminate hidden counterrevolutionaries in the provincial organs of Guangdong and the various organs of Guangzhou Municipality has entered the stage of confession and accusation, exposing many problems. Since liberation, the cadre ranks in Guangdong have been particularly complex, and the work of purifying the internal ranks has been poorly done. Although the Three-Antis Campaign and the land reform rectification of ranks were both large-scale mass movements, they only resolved at the time the problems of internal embezzlement and corruption elements and those with an unsteady stand on land reform. Later, the cleansing of the middle and inner strata also did not form a large-scale movement, was carried out in a desultory and lifeless manner, and the leadership devoted too little effort to it. The recent examination of cadres also failed to resolve the problems. Therefore, without a large-scale movement and struggle in Guangdong, the problems of internal impurity and hidden counterrevolutionaries fundamentally cannot be resolved. The Provincial Committee is determined to thoroughly carry out the confession and accusation stage, expand the fruits of battle, and strive to basically resolve the problems in some key work departments by the conclusion of this movement.

[2] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, then Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Peng Zhen, then Alternate Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Chen Yun, then Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Lu Dingyi, then Director of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee and Head of the Central Ten-Person Group.

[3] Shangkun, namely Yang Shangkun, then Deputy Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.

This document is very good. It contains an assessment of the history.
To the Shanghai Bureau, all provincial and municipal Party committees, and the Party committees of all autonomous regions:
Mao Zedong
July 20

The report of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of July 17 on eliminating hidden counterrevolutionaries is hereby issued to you for reference. The Central Committee deems this document to be correct. Similar problems may arise in various localities, and they may refer to Guangdong’s experience.
The Central Committee
July 21, 1955