Comments on the Report of the Central Rural Work Department
on the National Conference of Rural Work Department Heads [1]
(January 26, 1959)

Please have Comrade Xiaoping [2] distribute copies to all comrades attending the conference [3].

Mao Zedong
January 26

[1] The Central Rural Work Department of the CPC Central Committee submitted this report on January 24, 1959, through Comrade Tan Zhenlin, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, to the Central Committee and Mao Zedong. The report stated that the national conference of rural work department heads focused on discussing the management and operational issues of the rural people’s communes. The specific contents were as follows:

(I) On labor force allocation planning and raising labor productivity. The conference held that the key to resolving this year’s labor shortage lies in rationally allocating and using the labor force, on the premise of first ensuring the fulfillment of the four major targets for steel, coal, grain, and cotton. At the same time, labor productivity should be raised by continuing to vigorously carry out tool innovations, improving labor management, and other measures.

(II) On commune distribution issues. The conference proposed:
(1) Ensure that 90 percent of commune members increase their income, and the rest do not suffer a decrease;
(2) Strive to have the supply portion and the wage portion each account for one half;
(3) Maintain a ratio of approximately 9:1 between commune-distributed income and household self-produced income;
(4) Pay wages monthly as far as possible.

(III) Carry out initial consolidation and other work in the communes, and strengthen leadership over the communes. When Mao Zedong reviewed this report, he also made some individual textual revisions.

[2] Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

[3] Refers to the conference of first secretaries of provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions then being held in Beijing.