Comments on the July Comprehensive Report of the Central Organization Department
(August 12, 1962)

Distribute to all comrades for study. The Central Organization Department has never submitted reports to the Central Committee, leaving the comrades of the Central Committee completely uninformed about the activities of the Organization Department’s comrades—a total blockade, turning it into an independent kingdom. Now that Comrade An Ziwen, the head of the department, has awakened after criticism, this is good. I hope the same mistake will not be repeated.

Mao Zedong
August 12

[1] In its July comprehensive report submitted to Mao Zedong and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee on July 29, 1962, the Central Organization Department of the CPC made a self-criticism, stating that for a long time it had failed to report its work or reflect the situation to the Chairman and the Standing Committee, which was a serious mistake. It pledged to take this as a warning and strive to correct it. The report mainly addressed the situation and problems concerning the cadre ranks, noting two issues worthy of attention: first, the abnormal mental state of some cadres; second, the excessively large size of the cadre ranks. The report put forward specific suggestions for resolving these two issues.

[2] This refers to the comrades then attending the Central Committee Work Conference in Beidaihe.