Transmitted with Comrade Xi Zhongxun’s [1] remarks on the report concerning the streamlining of central government organs (June 22, 1961)  To Comrade Xiaoping [2]: This document [3] is very good and should be circulated to all Central Bureaus, as well as to the party committees of provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, for strict implementation in accordance with its provisions.

If, out of the central government’s 240,000 personnel, one third—80,000—have already been reduced, and if another few tens of thousands can still be cut, I wonder whether it would be feasible to reduce an additional 40,000? Should the total reduction reach 120,000, or half of the original 240,000, work efficiency would undoubtedly be greatly enhanced.

If the provincial, municipal, and regional levels, together with the prefectural and county levels—the three local tiers—all follow this plan and carry out resolute streamlining, bureaucratic practices will be significantly curbed nationwide, and administrative efficiency will be markedly improved. At present, urban populations are to be reduced by more than 20 million; regulations governing personnel at the three levels of the people’s communes have already been established. If these can be rigorously and properly implemented, the serious problem of surplus cadres will be resolved.

Please consider and act accordingly.  Mao Zedong June 22, 1961

Printed from a document of the CPC Central Committee. Included in the Selected Letters of Mao Zedong. (A manuscript exists.)

Notes  [1] Xi Zhongxun was then Vice Premier of the State Council and Secretary-General thereof.

[2] Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.

[3] Refers to Xi Zhongxun’s report dated June 19, 1961, addressed to the CPC Central Committee, on the status of streamlining within the central state organs and his recommendations for the future. The report states that since last September, when the Central Committee approved and forwarded the “Report on the Organizational Structure and Staffing of Various Central Departments and on Proposals for Streamlining,” the various central departments have undertaken rather thorough streamlining efforts. Although the process has not yet been fully completed, certain progress has been made, primarily in three areas: first, improvement in work style and enhancement of administrative efficiency; second, reinforcement of the grassroots level and strengthening of the production front lines; and third, purification of the organization. Among the most urgent tasks now are, first, the further streamlining of institutions of central departments located outside Beijing; second, the proper disposition of redundant personnel; and third, based on the Central Committee’s directive to substantially reduce the urban population, a further appropriate streamlining of the structures and staffing of the central departments. Such measures are both entirely necessary and entirely feasible. On June 28, 1961, the CPC Central Committee transmitted this report for circulation.