A Directive Concerning the Writing of an Article Titled “Consultation with Comrade Kuusinen”
(April 1960)

This article must be criticized; see page 2 for opinions.
Please ask Comrades Shangkun, Xiaoping, and Chen Boda[2] to discuss and handle this matter.

1. It is insufficient merely to repeat the old truth that imperialism is aggressive; a dogmatist stance is a backward stance. One must not overlook the fact that the era of imperialist domination of the world is gone forever. A powerful socialist system now exists, a vast “zone of peace” has emerged, and within imperialist countries, peace forces have become more united and better organized. Therefore, our task is to fully utilize the new factors favorable to peace so as to deliver humanity from the calamity of a new war.
2. New types of weapons of war are beginning to exert pressure in favor of peace. Lenin once predicted that a day would come when the destructive power of war would be so immense as to render it fundamentally impossible.
3. Clear-headed international activists have emerged within imperialism, who also realize that waging a large-scale destructive war is irrational. This is undoubtedly significant for the victorious struggle for peace.

An article titled “Consultation with Comrade Kuusinen” should be written, criticizing the erroneous viewpoints in Comrade Kuusinen’s article with solid evidence and persuasive reasoning. It should first be shown to a few comrades in the Central Committee for revision, and then consideration should be given to whether it can be published openly or only circulated for reading among senior Party cadres.

On May 1, 1960, Mao Zedong celebrated the May 1 International Labor Day together with the broad masses of people in Tianjin.


On May 1, 1960, Mao Zedong celebrated the May 1 International Labor Day with the masses in Tianjin.

--- Notes

[1] Refers to the report delivered by Comrade Kuusinen, Member of the Presidium of the Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, at the Moscow meeting commemorating the 90th anniversary of Lenin’s birth on April 22, 1960. An internal publication compiled and printed by the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee on April 26 excerpted the main arguments of this report:

[2] Shangkun, namely Yang Shangkun, then Alternate Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. Xiaoping, namely Deng Xiaoping, then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Chen Boda, then Alternate Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Director of the Political Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Secretary to Mao Zedong.