Introducing a Cooperative (April 15, 1958)

I

The article "A Cooperative That Changed Its Face After Two Years of Bitter Struggle" [1] is worth a read. The communist spirit is burgeoning throughout the country. The political consciousness of the broad masses is rapidly rising. The fact that the backward strata among the masses are striving to catch up with the advanced strata signifies that our country's socialist economic revolution (in the part of the relations of production where transformation is not yet complete), political revolution, ideological revolution, technological revolution, and cultural revolution are forging ahead. From this it appears that for our country to catch up with the great capitalist countries in industrial and agricultural production may not require such a long time as was previously thought. Apart from the leadership of the Party, the population of 600 million is a decisive factor. More people means more discussion, higher enthusiasm, and greater drive. Never before have the masses of the people been seen to be so high in spirit, so strong in morale, and so firm in determination. The exploiting classes of the past are completely submerged in the vast ocean of the laboring masses; they must change even if they do not want to. There are certainly people who will remain unchanged to their death and are willing to go to see God with their granite-like heads, but that does not affect the overall situation. All decadent ideologies and other unsuitable parts of the superstructure are collapsing and disintegrating day by day. It will still take time to completely sweep away this garbage; but that their collapse is already underway is beyond doubt. Apart from other characteristics, the notable characteristic of China's 600 million people is that they are, one, poor, and two, blank. These seem to be bad things, but are in fact good things. Poverty gives rise to the desire for change, the desire for action, and the desire for revolution. On a blank sheet of paper, free from any burden, the newest and most beautiful characters can be written, the newest and most beautiful pictures can be painted. The dazibao is an extremely useful new-style weapon; it can be used in cities, villages, factories, cooperatives, shops, government offices, schools, army units, and streets, in short, in all places where there are masses. It has already come into widespread use and should be used forever. A poem by Gong Zizhen of the Qing dynasty says: "The vitality of the Nine Prefectures relies on wind and thunder; that ten thousand horses are all muted is truly lamentable. I urge the Lord of Heaven to bestir himself anew, and send down talent of every kind." The dazibao has broken through the suffocating atmosphere of "ten thousand horses all muted." I now recommend a cooperative to the comrades of the more than 700,000 cooperatives across the country, as well as to the comrades in the cities. This cooperative is located in Fengqiu County, Henan Province, and is called the Yingju Cooperative. It has some things that are quite thought-provoking. Do the laboring people of China still have that old slave-like appearance? No, they have become the masters. The laboring people on the 9.6 million square kilometers of the People's Republic of China are now truly beginning to rule this land.

(Date), in Guangzhou
Published based on the first issue of *Hongqi*, 1958. Included in the A-edition of *Selected Readings from the Works of Mao Zedong*. (Mao Zedong's manuscript exists)

II

Comrades Liu, Deng, Zhou, Chen, Qiaomu, Wu Lengxi [3]:
Please review this document. If you agree, please have Comrade Lengxi publish it in the *People's Daily*.

Mao Zedong
April 15

It is possible to catch up with Britain in ten years, and with another ten years it is possible to catch up with the United States; saying "twenty-five years or a little more to catch up with Britain and the United States" leaves a margin of five to seven years. The slogan "catch up with Britain in fifteen years" remains unchanged.
Published based on the manuscript.

Notes
[1] Refers to the report of the CPC Fengqiu County Committee of Henan Province to Mao Zedong on March 20, 1958. The report described the deeds of the Yingju Agricultural Cooperative in Fengqiu County, Henan Province, in relying on the collective strength of the cooperative to overcome natural disasters and change its backward face. This report was published together with Mao Zedong's article in the inaugural issue of *Hongqi* magazine, published on June 1, 1958. On June 14, 1958, Mao Zedong received Cui Xiyan, director of the Yingju Agricultural Cooperative of Fengqiu County, Henan Province; Xiong Tianjin, director of the Rural Relief Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Shi Desheng, director of the Henan Provincial Department of Civil Affairs; and Zhang Jiannan, head of Fengqiu County, at Zhongnanhai. The circumstances of this reception were written into a dispatch by a Xinhua News Agency reporter titled "A Happy Meeting, A Great Encouragement," published in the *People's Daily* on July 1, 1958. It included the following report: Chairman Mao first asked Zhang Jiannan, the head of Fengqiu County: "Who wrote that report on the Yingju Cooperative?" Zhang Jiannan knew at once that Chairman Mao was referring to the report "A Cooperative That Changed Its Face After Two Years of Bitter Struggle" published in *Hongqi* magazine. He immediately told Chairman Mao: "It was written by Comrade Han Hongxu, First Secretary of the CPC Fengqiu County Committee." "That report was very well written." Chairman Mao also asked: "How much schooling has Comrade Han Hongxu had?" "He graduated from higher primary school before the war." Chairman Mao then praised: "Not easy, not easy, to be able to write such a good report with a higher primary school education, truly not easy!" Chairman Mao also asked about Han Hongxu's work situation, and Zhang Jiannan introduced it all to Chairman Mao one by one. "Why is your cooperative called the Yingju Cooperative?" Chairman Mao began an interesting conversation with Cui Xiyan. "In the past, our village produced a civil *juren*. This *juren* was different from ordinary *juren*; he did not exploit people and maintained his livelihood through self-reliance. Our cooperative also relies on self-reliance to carry on production and get through famines, so it is called the Yingju Cooperative." Chairman Mao laughed upon hearing this. "Very interesting!" he said. "Yours was a poor cooperative in the past, and after a few years of effort, you have changed its face. In a few more years, you will be even better!" "These achievements were all made because of the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao. Everyone in our cooperative is very grateful to the Communist Party, grateful to Chairman Mao!" said Cui Xiyan. Chairman Mao waved his hand and said: "No, no, it is due to the efforts of all the members of your cooperative that such great achievements have been made. For the affairs of the whole country to be handled well, we must rely on the efforts of the 600 million people of the whole country." Chairman Mao asked again: "How many jin per mu did the Yingju Cooperative harvest for wheat?" "The estimated yield is one hundred and fifty jin per mu." After making a calculation, Chairman Mao said: "You plan to produce eight hundred jin per mu, but wheat can only yield one hundred and fifty jin per mu. There are still over six hundred jin to go. Are you confident of achieving a yield of eight hundred jin per mu this year?" "Completely confident, and we will strive to exceed it," Cui Xiyan replied, full of confidence. ... Lighting a cigarette, Chairman Mao said cordially to Cui Xiyan: "You must guard against arrogance and rashness. The cadres and the masses must be closely united. The red flag must be planted forever in your cooperative, and let the red flag be planted higher and higher." Listening to Chairman Mao's teachings, Cui Xiyan was so moved that for a moment he could not speak. He only said: "We will definitely remember Chairman Mao's words firmly and act according to Chairman Mao's instructions." "Is transportation to your cooperative convenient?" Chairman Mao asked Cui Xiyan again. "Transportation is very convenient. After getting off the train in Xinxiang, there is a bus that goes directly to our cooperative, and the surrounding roads also lead in all directions." At this point, Chairman Mao began to talk about civil affairs work with Xiong Tianjin, director of the Rural Relief Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Shi Desheng, director of the Henan Provincial Department of Civil Affairs. Xiong Tianjin and Shi Desheng explained the contents of civil affairs work to Chairman Mao one by one, totaling more than twenty kinds. "So many, can you finish them all?" "In the province, besides these tasks, we also complete other tasks assigned to us by the Party," said Shi Desheng. "In the past, some people raised the opinion that civil affairs work has too many threads and is not easy to do. Minister Xie Juezai criticized this opinion. He said that civil affairs work is the work of dealing with people, and we must take charge of matters that other departments do not manage," said Xiong Tianjin. "And your opinion?" Chairman Mao asked Xiong Tianjin. "I agree with Minister Xie's opinion. As long as it is a task assigned to us by the Party, we should strive to complete it." "That's right, civil affairs work is the work of dealing with people. Don't be afraid of trouble," Chairman Mao laughed happily. ...
[2] The original manuscript for this passage was: "From this it appears that for our country to catch up with Britain and the United States will not require such a long time as was previously thought, twenty-five years or a little more will be enough." When synthesizing the opinions of various comrades, Hu Qiaomu wrote a suggestion: "It was originally said that we would catch up with Britain in fifteen years, now it is said that it will not require such a long time as was previously thought, and we can catch up with Britain and the United States in twenty-five years. This seems complicated. Could it be changed to: It will certainly not take a very long time for our country to catch up with Britain, and even to catch up with the United States will not require such a long time as was previously thought...?" The directive by Mao Zedong in part (II) of this piece was written in response to the revision of this passage. When *Hongqi* magazine published it, it was changed to the current wording.
[3] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Chen refers to Chen Yun, then Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Qiaomu is Hu Qiaomu, then an alternate secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. Wu Lengxi was then Director of the Xinhua News Agency and Editor-in-Chief of the *People's Daily*.