Critique on the Material Concerning Views on the Economic Situation
(July 5, 1959)

This document[1] is to be printed and distributed to all comrades by Shangkun.[2]

Mao Zedong
July 5

This material, collected and compiled by the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, states that after hearing reports delivered by leading officials of various ministries on the Central Committee’s "Directive on Vigorously Reducing Social Purchasing Power and Explaining the Current Domestic Economic Situation," the majority of non-Party personages in state organs believe the reports were timely, correct, and persuasive, resolving ideological concerns. They trust the explanations of the Party and government and regard the current difficulties as temporary and surmountable. However, a small number of people still harbor doubts and differing views regarding these explanations. These are specifically manifested in the following:
(1) Continued doubts about last year’s Great Leap Forward.
(2) The view that last year’s slogan of nationwide steelmaking was incorrect.
(3) The belief that last year’s mass movements contained deviations.
(4) The opinion that the movement for people’s communes was carried out too rapidly.
(5) Dissatisfaction with the export of goods and materials.
(6) Suspicions regarding the causes of market supply shortages.
(7) Criticisms of the propaganda and explanatory work.
(8) Doubts about current policies.
In addition, some individuals have put forward numerous suggestions concerning the strict enforcement of economizing, the reduction of expenditures, and the alleviation of the current tense market supply situation.

[1] Shangkun refers to Yang Shangkun, who was then an alternate secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and director of the General Office of the Central Committee.