It can be published as it stands. To clarify the issue, a few sentences were added in “Section Two.”
Mao Zedong
November 14
The future of society is as clear to everyone as the morning sun, and as long as one moves forward in the direction of societal progress, a smooth and broad path will always be found. For farmers, artisans, and other petty-bourgeois elements, this path means abandoning small private ownership and embracing socialist cooperative systems. For capitalists, it means renouncing capitalist ownership and the exploitation of workers, and accepting socialist state ownership. Once capitalists truly give up exploitation and begin to earn their living through labor, their social class ceases to be that of a capitalist; they become self-reliant workers. In this way, they no longer stand in contradiction with workers and peasants, but instead feel relieved and free from social reproach. Here, when we speak of “giving up exploitation,” we do not mean that this must happen immediately. Rather, it calls for mental preparation now—gradually and appropriately initiating discussions on this topic within study groups for capitalists in various cities. Any doubts should be addressed by appropriate personnel, while at the same time making preparations for public-private joint operations and industry-by-industry transformation. When conditions are ripe, the ultimate goal is the nationalization of the means of production. Will there then be any problems with their work? It should be understood that a socialist society neither experiences nor will ever experience economic crises. As long as one is not lazy and sincerely willing to work, one will never lack suitable employment. Therefore, all patriotic industrialists and merchants who do not oppose socialist transformation ought to recognize this bright future. They should not hesitate or look back but actively embrace it. Only in this way can they truly take control of their own destiny, avoiding feelings of anxiety and uncertainty—like “fifteen buckets drawing water, some going up while others come down.”
Comrade Hu Qiaomu:
I have reviewed this document. It is acceptable and need not be submitted to me again. I have made two revisions: (1) On page five, the phrase “suppression” in the seventh line from the bottom is inappropriate; it should be replaced with “punishing them separately according to their specific circumstances.” (2) At the end of page six, after the word “private shares,” I have added the nine characters “appropriately, according to specific circumstances,” followed by “distributed.” Please consult Comrade Chen Yun regarding whether this revision is more appropriate.
Mao Zedong
Night of November 17

Annotations and Modifications on the Editorial Draft of “People’s Daily”
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