Comments on the United Front Work Department’s Request Report Concerning Several Issues Related to the Democratic Parties
# Date: 1956-01-28
# Source: en:auto-trans
# Translated from: zh/1956/1956-01-28_dui_tong_zhan_bu_guan_yu_min_zhu_dang_pai_ruo_gan_wen_ti_de_.txt

Comments on the United Front Work Department’s Request Report Concerning Several Issues Related to the Democratic Parties (January 28, 1956)

Comrade Xiaoping [1]: I have read this document [2] and find it acceptable. Please act as you see fit. Mao Zedong January 28

Published from the manuscript.
Notes [1] Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee. [2] This refers to the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee’s request report dated January 25, 1956, addressed to the Central Committee, concerning certain issues that needed to be resolved in connection with the convening of representative conferences by the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, and the Jiusan Society, as well as the holding of central meetings by the China Association for Promoting Democracy and the Peasants’ and Workers’ Democratic Party.
With regard to several major questions—namely, the principles and tasks guiding the future work of the democratic parties—the report put forward the following views: (1) On the nature, tasks, and role of the democratic parties.
The report stated that, owing to the accelerated progress of various socialist transformations, our country had already entered the stage of socialism.
These democratic parties had not only accepted the socialist political program but had also taken part in the practice of the socialist revolution; they were now serving the cause of building socialism under the leadership of our Party.
Therefore, it should be affirmed that they had become parties of a socialist character.
Their general task going forward ought to be to fully mobilize their members and the people associated with them to participate more actively in the work of socialist construction and socialist transformation, to join the struggle against enemies both at home and abroad, and, through practical experience and study, to undergo further ideological transformation. (2) On studying Marxism-Leninism and carrying out ideological transformation.
The report noted that parties such as the China Democratic League, the Jiusan Society, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and the Peasants’ and Workers’ Democratic Party, whose primary constituents are intellectuals in the fields of education, culture, and science, might require their members to make earnest efforts to study Marxism-Leninism.
As for the transformation of intellectuals, the primary approach should be to positively encourage them to display initiative, bolster their confidence, assist them in mastering Marxism-Leninism and acquiring ideological weapons; on this basis, they should be guided to engage in criticism and self-criticism and to undertake self-improvement. (3) On matters of organizational development.
The report held that, over the coming period, these democratic parties should develop their organizations as required and feasible, and that each party should formulate plans for organizational expansion tailored to its specific circumstances.
In addition, the report offered opinions on such matters as the proper conduct of representative conferences and central meetings by the democratic parties and the re-election of leading cadres.