Comments on the Issuance of the Soviet Union’s “Political Economy (Textbook)” (Third Edition) (June 17, 1959)

Comrade Shangkun [1]: The type in this book [2] is too small, and the volume is too heavy. It is now to be bound in five separate volumes. Please have it printed in large-type characters, similar to those used in Xinhua News Agency’s “Internal Reference” or the Propaganda Department’s “Propaganda and Education Briefing,” and distribute copies to the principal leading officials at the central level and at the party committees of provinces, municipalities directly under the central government, and autonomous regions for their perusal. Priority should be given to members and alternate members of the Central Committee, with one copy each. Also, please provide four copies for me. The printing should be completed within one month. Please handle as you see fit. Kindly inform Comrades Shaoqi, Peng Zhen [3], and Enlai.

Mao Zedong June 17 Based on the manuscript.

Notes [1] Shangkun refers to Yang Shangkun, who at that time served as an alternate member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. [2] Refers to the Chinese translation of the third edition of “Political Economy (Textbook)” compiled by the Institute of Economics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. [3] 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.