Comments on a Report Concerning Certain Problems Encountered
(June 17, 1959)

This document [1] is to be distributed to the Party committees of all provinces, municipalities, and regions for reference.

The Central Committee
June 17, 1959

[1]
In this report dated June 15, 1959, addressed to the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and forwarded to the Central Committee and Mao Zedong, Tao Zhu states that the congresses of commune member representatives in Zhongshan County have been launched throughout the county. He now reports on certain problems he encountered while attending the first session of the congress of commune member representatives of the Zhangjiabian Commune in that county, as follows:

(1) It is necessary to resolve problems affecting the masses’ morale, such as grain ration standards and the work style of cadres, in order to further arouse the activism of commune members.
(2) The masses in Zhangjiabian have a very strong demand that sufficient grain rations be retained after the summer harvest.
(3) The question of whether to retain or abolish the supply system and the mess halls must be speedily and rationally resolved.
(4) How to thoroughly eliminate the discontent of the masses toward the leadership, which arose during the late-crop season last year and the early-crop season this year due to certain inappropriate agricultural production policies and technical measures, is an important issue in improving the current relationship between the leadership and the masses.
(5) It is imperative to thoroughly delegate authority to lower levels, grant individuals a degree of minor freedoms within defined limits, and promptly announce that these will remain fixed and unchanged. This is a very important issue at present for stabilizing the peasants’ mood in production and enhancing their production activism. The report states that among the above-mentioned problems, some have been resolved in Zhangjiabian, while others have not. One important lesson for thoroughly solving the problems is that the congresses of commune member representatives must truly and fully foster democracy, expose problems, conduct comprehensive analysis, and carry out thorough discussions.

To be read by Liu,[1] Peng Zhen, and Zhenlin,[2] after which
Shang Kun[3] is to handle it.
After handling, to be returned for Jiang Qing to read.

[1] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Peng Zhen was then a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. Zhenlin, i.e., Tan Zhenlin, was then a Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.
[2] Shang Kun, i.e., Yang Shangkun, was then an alternate Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.