Speech Outline for the Fourteenth Supreme State Conference

(January 28, 1958)

The nation is spirited and vigorous, full of great promise—a great awakening.
Fifteen years, five years, three years, the first year, the first month. [1]
The atomic nucleus releases thermal energy.
Catching up with Britain in fifteen years—is it possible or not?
Forty million tons of steel; currently, it is 5.2 million tons.
Five hundred million tons of coal; currently, it is just over 100 million tons.
Forty million kilowatts of electricity generation capacity; currently, it is just over 4 million...
...Complete the Forty Articles in five to eight years. [2]
Summon up energy, strive for the top.
"Loving the grand and achieving great things, seeking quick success and instant benefits, despising the past, and blindly believing in the future."
"Loving the grand and achieving great things, biased listening and blind faith, unpredictable moods, despising antiques."
Both poor and blank, both rich and cultured.
A large population is good; eating a little less, Oriental flavor, good health.
Westerners who eat meat are vulgar. [3]
Work methods: two types of leadership methods, two types of work styles.
Eliminate bureaucratic airs, adopt the posture of an ordinary laborer.
The democratic parties can also do this.

The scholar aspires to be a worthy, the worthy aspires to be a sage. [4]
Go out for four months, integrate with workers and peasants.
Beijing has nothing (raw materials), but it has processing—this is theory. [5]
Momentum can be encouraged but not dampened. Boost morale, or let morale be ruined?
Shortcomings are corrected through free airing of views.
Study earnestly: experimental plots, work as a worker (one day a week), natural sciences, social sciences, technical sciences, literature.
Words without literary grace do not travel far.
Inspect four times a year; some inspect twelve times.
Technological revolution and social revolution.
Rightists: hold a rightist conference. First, express thanks; second, offer help; third, apply the 70-30 evaluation—all are beneficial.
The Communist Party is preparing for major reforms.
What about the democratic parties and non-party individuals? Is it not permissible? It is permissible.
Entrust your heart to others; do not keep a layer of paper between you.
People like Luo Longji [6] do not listen.
Continuous revolution.
Help comrades, dispel suspicions.
The Moscow Declaration, [7] the conference, a turning point.
The year of the anti-communist upsurge (criticizing Stalin), some people’s hearts wavered, there were repercussions.
Nine fingers and one finger.

Based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten manuscript.

**Notes**
[1] In his speech, Mao Zedong said: Catching up with Britain in fifteen years—I see it as entirely possible. The fifteen years depend on the first five years starting this year; the second five-year plan depends on the first three years; the three years depend on the first year; the first year depends on the first month.
[2] Refers to the *National Agricultural Development Program (Draft) for 1956 to 1967*, consisting of forty articles.
[3] In his speech, Mao Zedong compared the dietary habits and characteristics of the East and West, saying: China has vast territory and abundant resources, and still has some farmland, but the population is large. What if there is no food to eat? Simply eat a little less. Easterners eat vegetarian food, an Oriental flavor, which I fear will continue, and this way, health is good. Westerners’ food is high in fat, increasing the further west you go. I say Western meat-eaters are vulgar. Our soldiers in the past had only four qian of oil and three qian of salt per day, yet they could win battles. Those pampered American soldiers, however, lose battles.
[4] This is a quote Mao Zedong cited when speaking about eliminating bureaucratic airs. He said: There is an old saying, "The scholar aspires to be a worthy, the worthy aspires to be a sage, the sage aspires to be heaven." Do you not wish to become sages? If not sages, becoming worthies is also good. There are also some fine sayings: "What kind of man was Shun? What kind of man am I? He who acts will also become like him." Some rulers in history were relatively good.
[5] In his speech, Mao Zedong said: We in Beijing produce no raw materials; raw materials all come from workers and peasants. But we can process them; we are a processing factory. All ideas, plans, orders, and laws originate from the laboring people. Everything I say consists of ready-made things; only this one point can be considered theory.
[6] Luo Longji, formerly Vice Chairman of the China Democratic League, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and Minister of Forestry. He was dismissed from his posts on February 1, 1958.
[7] Refers to the *Declaration of the Conference of Communist and Workers’ Parties of Socialist Countries*, adopted at the meeting of twelve socialist countries’ communist and workers’ parties held in Moscow from November 14 to 16, 1957, and the *Peace Manifesto*, adopted at the conference of representatives of sixty-four communist and workers’ parties held from November 16 to 19.