delay.As for those whose crimes deserve capital punishment but who owe no blood debts and are not bitterly hated by the people or who have done serious but not extremely serious harm to the national interest,the policy to follow is to hand down the death sentence,grant a two-year reprieve and subject them to forced labour to see how they behave.In addition,it must be explicitly stipulated that in cases where it is marginal whether to make an arrest,under no circumstances should there be an arrest and that to act otherwise would be a mistake,and that in cases where it is marginal whether to execute,under no circumstances should there be an execution and that to act otherwise would be a mistake. 3.To prevent"Left"deviations in the heat of the movement to suppress counter-revolutionaries,it has been decided that as of June 1,in all localities across the country,including those places where very few executions have so far been carried out,the power to sanction arrests shall without exception revert to the prefectural authorities and the power to sanction executions shall without exception revert to the provincial authorities,who shall send representatives to deal with such cases in places remote from the provincial capital.No locality is to ask for modification of this decision. 4.As of now it is necessary to start a planned screening of counter-revolutionaries hidden in the "middle layer"and the "inner layer".In accordance with the directive of the Central Committee it has been decided that a preliminary screening in the form of rectification will be conducted this summer and autumn among all the personnel who have been retained since liberation and among the intellectuals recently drawn into our work.The aim is to size up the situation and deal with a number of conspicuous cases.The procedure to follow is to study documents on the suppression of counter-revolutionaries,call on those among the above-mentioned personnel and intellectuals(not all of them)whose records are questionable to adopt a sincere and honest attitude,give a clear account of their history and make a clean breast of what they have hitherto kept to themselves.This campaign to "clear oneself"must be put in charge of the leading member of the organization concerned;the voluntary principle must be applied and coercion must not be used.For each organization the duration should be short,not drawn out.The tactics to adopt are to win over the many and isolate the few,in preparation for a further screening in the winter.This screening must first be conducted in the leading organs,the public security organs and other sensitive departments, and then the experience gained should be popularized.During such screening in government departments,schools and factories,it is necessary to have non-Party people sit on the committees in charge of this work so as to avoid having Party members act in isolation. 5.In the current great struggle to suppress counter-revolutionaries public security committees must be organized among the masses everywhere.Such committees should be elected by the people in every township in the countryside and in every department and organization,school,factory and neighbourhood in the cities.The number of committee members may be as small as three and as large as eleven and must include reliable non-Party patriots so as to make the committee a united front type of organization for safeguarding public security.Under the leadership of the government and public security organs at the basic level,such committees have the responsibility of assisting the people's government in eliminating counter-revolutionaries,guarding against traitors and spies and safeguarding our national and public security.Their establishment must proceed in a well- guided way in those rural areas where the agrarian reform has been completed or in cities where the work of suppressing counter-revolutionaries is well under way,so as to prevent bad elements from
delay. As for those whose crimes deserve capital punishment but who owe no blood debts and are not bitterly hated by the people or who have done serious but not extremely serious harm to the national interest, the policy to follow is to hand down the death sentence, grant a two-year reprieve and subject them to forced labour to see how they behave. In addition, it must be explicitly stipulated that in cases where it is marginal whether to make an arrest, under no circumstances should there be an arrest and that to act otherwise would be a mistake, and that in cases where it is marginal whether to execute, under no circumstances should there be an execution and that to act otherwise would be a mistake. 3. To prevent "Left" deviations in the heat of the movement to suppress counter-revolutionaries, it has been decided that as of June 1, in all localities across the country, including those places where very few executions have so far been carried out, the power to sanction arrests shall without exception revert to the prefectural authorities and the power to sanction executions shall without exception revert to the provincial authorities, who shall send representatives to deal with such cases in places remote from the provincial capital. No locality is to ask for modification of this decision. 4. As of now it is necessary to start a planned screening of counter-revolutionaries hidden in the "middle layer" and the "inner layer". In accordance with the directive of the Central Committee it has been decided that a preliminary screening in the form of rectification will be conducted this summer and autumn among all the personnel who have been retained since liberation and among the intellectuals recently drawn into our work. The aim is to size up the situation and deal with a number of conspicuous cases. The procedure to follow is to study documents on the suppression of counter-revolutionaries, call on those among the above-mentioned personnel and intellectuals (not all of them) whose records are questionable to adopt a sincere and honest attitude, give a clear account of their history and make a clean breast of what they have hitherto kept to themselves. This campaign to "clear oneself" must be put in charge of the leading member of the organization concerned; the voluntary principle must be applied and coercion must not be used. For each organization the duration should be short, not drawn out. The tactics to adopt are to win over the many and isolate the few, in preparation for a further screening in the winter. This screening must first be conducted in the leading organs, the public security organs and other sensitive departments, and then the experience gained should be popularized. During such screening in government departments, schools and factories, it is necessary to have non-Party people sit on the committees in charge of this work so as to avoid having Party members act in isolation. 5. In the current great struggle to suppress counter-revolutionaries public security committees must be organized among the masses everywhere. Such committees should be elected by the people in every township in the countryside and in every department and organization, school, factory and neighbourhood in the cities. The number of committee members may be as small as three and as large as eleven and must include reliable non-Party patriots so as to make the committee a united front type of organization for safeguarding public security. Under the leadership of the government and public security organs at the basic level, such committees have the responsibility of assisting the people's government in eliminating counter-revolutionaries, guarding against traitors and spies and safeguarding our national and public security. Their establishment must proceed in a wellguided way in those rural areas where the agrarian reform has been completed or in cities where the work of suppressing counter-revolutionaries is well under way, so as to prevent bad elements from
seizing the opportunity to worm their way in. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung STRIKE SURELY, ACCURATELY AND RELENTLESSLY IN SUPPRESSING COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARIES December 1950-September 1951 [Important directives concerning the movement to suppress counter-revolutionaries drafted for the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.] Please make certain that you strike surely,accurately and relentlessly in suppressing the counter- revolutionaries. (December 19,1950) 2 One batch of bandit chieftains.local tyrants and secret agents has been executed in twenty-one counties in western Hunan,and another batch is to be executed by local authorities this year.I think measures of this kind are absolutely necessary.For only thus can we deflate the enemy's arrogance and raise the people's morale.If we are weak and irresolute,if we are tolerant and indulgent,it will bring harm to the people and alienate us from the masses. To strike surely means to pay attention to tactics.To strike accurately means to avoid wrong executions.To strike relentlessly means resolutely to kill all such reactionary elements as deserve the death penalty (of course,those who don't will not be executed).So long as we avoid wrong executions,we don't have to worry even if the bourgeoisie raises an outcry. (January 17,1951)
seizing the opportunity to worm their way in. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung STRIKE SURELY, ACCURATELY AND RELENTLESSLY IN SUPPRESSING COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARIES December 1950-September 1951 [Important directives concerning the movement to suppress counter-revolutionaries drafted for the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.] 1 Please make certain that you strike surely, accurately and relentlessly in suppressing the counterrevolutionaries. (December 19, 1950) 2 One batch of bandit chieftains, local tyrants and secret agents has been executed in twenty-one counties in western Hunan, and another batch is to be executed by local authorities this year. I think measures of this kind are absolutely necessary. For only thus can we deflate the enemy's arrogance and raise the people's morale. If we are weak and irresolute, if we are tolerant and indulgent, it will bring harm to the people and alienate us from the masses. To strike surely means to pay attention to tactics. To strike accurately means to avoid wrong executions. To strike relentlessly means resolutely to kill all such reactionary elements as deserve the death penalty (of course, those who don't will not be executed). So long as we avoid wrong executions, we don't have to worry even if the bourgeoisie raises an outcry. (January 17, 1951)
In Shantung there is lethargy in some places and rashness in others.Generally speaking,both these deviations are to be found in all the provinces and cities in the country and attention should be paid to setting them right.In particular,rashness presents the major danger.For by education and persuasion those who are lethargic can eventually become active,and it doesn't make much difference if a counter-revolutionary is put to death a few days sooner or a few days later.But being rash and making wrong arrests and executions will produce very bad effects.Please exercise strict control over the work of suppressing counter-revolutionaries,and be sure to proceed with caution and correct any deviation of rashness in handling the job.We must suppress all counter- revolutionaries,but on no account should we make wrong arrests or executions. (March30,1951) 4 In regard to the counter-revolutionaries ferreted out in the Communist Party,People's Liberation Army and organs of the People's Government and in educational,industrial and commercial and religious circles,democratic parties and people's organizations,the Central Committee has decided as follows.Whereas those whose crimes do not deserve the death penalty shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or various prison terms or put under public supervision and surveillance,with respect to all counter-revolutionaries deserving capital punishment execution shall be confined to those who owe blood debts,or who have committed other major crimes which evoke public indignation, such as frequent rape or the plundering of large amounts of property,or who have done extremely serious harm to the national interest,while the policy towards the rest shall be one of passing the death sentence,granting a two-year reprieve and subjecting them to forced labour during this period to see how they behave.This is a prudent policy,a policy that can avoid mistakes.It can win a favourable response from people in all walks of life.It can disintegrate the counter-revolutionary forces and contribute towards the thorough elimination of counter-revolution.Moreover,it can save a large pool of labour-power,which will be conducive to our national construction.Therefore,it is a correct policy.Of all the counter-revolutionaries deserving death who are ferreted out in the above- mentioned Party,government,military,educational,industrial and commercial and people's organizations,it is estimated that those who owe blood debts,those who have committed other crimes which evoke public indignation and those who have done extremely serious harm to the national interest make up only a small number,roughly 10 to 20 per cent,while those to be sentenced to death but to be granted a reprieve probably account for 80 to 90 per cent,that is to say, 80 to 90 per cent may be saved.These counter-revolutionaries differ from the bandit chieftains, hardened brigands and local tyrants in the rural areas,from the local tyrants,bandit chieftains, hardened brigands,leaders of criminal gangs and heads of reactionary secret societies in the cities, and also from certain secret agents who have done extremely serious harm to the national interest in that they have contracted no blood debts or committed no other major crimes that incur the deep hatred of the masses.The harm they did to the national interest,while serious enough,had not yet reached an extreme.They have committed capital offenses,but the masses were not the direct victims.If we have such people executed,it will not be easily understood by the masses,nor will the response from public figures be so favourable;at the same time it will deprive us of a large pool
3 In Shantung there is lethargy in some places and rashness in others. Generally speaking, both these deviations are to be found in all the provinces and cities in the country and attention should be paid to setting them right. In particular, rashness presents the major danger. For by education and persuasion those who are lethargic can eventually become active, and it doesn't make much difference if a counter-revolutionary is put to death a few days sooner or a few days later. But being rash and making wrong arrests and executions will produce very bad effects. Please exercise strict control over the work of suppressing counter-revolutionaries, and be sure to proceed with caution and correct any deviation of rashness in handling the job. We must suppress all counterrevolutionaries, but on no account should we make wrong arrests or executions. (March 30, 1951) 4 In regard to the counter-revolutionaries ferreted out in the Communist Party, People's Liberation Army and organs of the People's Government and in educational, industrial and commercial and religious circles, democratic parties and people's organizations, the Central Committee has decided as follows. Whereas those whose crimes do not deserve the death penalty shall be sentenced to life imprisonment or various prison terms or put under public supervision and surveillance, with respect to all counter-revolutionaries deserving capital punishment execution shall be confined to those who owe blood debts, or who have committed other major crimes which evoke public indignation, such as frequent rape or the plundering of large amounts of property, or who have done extremely serious harm to the national interest, while the policy towards the rest shall be one of passing the death sentence, granting a two-year reprieve and subjecting them to forced labour during this period to see how they behave. This is a prudent policy, a policy that can avoid mistakes. It can win a favourable response from people in all walks of life. It can disintegrate the counter-revolutionary forces and contribute towards the thorough elimination of counter-revolution. Moreover, it can save a large pool of labour-power, which will be conducive to our national construction. Therefore, it is a correct policy. Of all the counter-revolutionaries deserving death who are ferreted out in the abovementioned Party, government, military, educational, industrial and commercial and people's organizations, it is estimated that those who owe blood debts, those who have committed other crimes which evoke public indignation and those who have done extremely serious harm to the national interest make up only a small number, roughly 10 to 20 per cent, while those to be sentenced to death but to be granted a reprieve probably account for 80 to 90 per cent, that is to say, 80 to 90 per cent may be saved. These counter-revolutionaries differ from the bandit chieftains, hardened brigands and local tyrants in the rural areas, from the local tyrants, bandit chieftains, hardened brigands, leaders of criminal gangs and heads of reactionary secret societies in the cities, and also from certain secret agents who have done extremely serious harm to the national interest in that they have contracted no blood debts or committed no other major crimes that incur the deep hatred of the masses. The harm they did to the national interest, while serious enough, had not yet reached an extreme. They have committed capital offenses, but the masses were not the direct victims. If we have such people executed, it will not be easily understood by the masses, nor will the response from public figures be so favourable; at the same time it will deprive us of a large pool
of labour-power and will not serve to split the enemy ranks;besides,we may make mistakes on this question.Therefore,towards such persons the Central Committee has decided on a policy of passing the death sentence with a reprieve and subjecting them to forced labour to see how they behave.If some are beyond reform and continue their wrongdoing,they can be executed later on,as the initiative is in our hands.All the local authorities are asked to adhere to the foregoing principle in dealing with the counter-revolutionaries uncovered in the Party,government,military, educational,industrial and commercial and people's organizations.As a precaution,the very small number of executions to be carried out (amounting to roughly 10 to 20 per cent of all those sentenced to death)must without exception be reported to the greater administrative areas or the greater military areas for approval.As for prominent figures whose execution might affect our united front work,approval must be obtained from the central authorities.In the case of counter- revolutionaries in the rural areas,we shall likewise put to death only those whose execution is necessary to assuage the people's anger,and none shall be executed unless the people so demand. To some we should similarly apply the policy of passing the death sentence with a reprieve.But persons whose death is demanded by the people must be executed so as to assuage their anger and help production. (May8,1951) 5 In no circumstances should the policy of "granting a two-year reprieve"be taken to mean not executing those criminals who owe blood debts or are guilty of other major crimes when their execution is demanded by the people.This would be wrong.We must make it clear to the district and village cadres and the masses that persons who have incurred the bitter hatred of one and all for their heinous crimes and have to be executed to assuage the people's anger must be put to death for this purpose.It is only on those counter-revolutionaries who are guilty of capital offences but have not incurred deep popular hatred and whose execution is not demanded by the people that we shall pass the death sentence with a two-year reprieve and impose forced labour to see how they behave. (June15,1951) 6 The work of suppressing counter-revolutionaries must be placed entirely under the unified leadership of the Party committees at all levels,and the responsible comrades of all public security and other organs associated with this work must,as always,unreservedly accept this leadership. (September 10,1951) Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org
of labour-power and will not serve to split the enemy ranks; besides, we may make mistakes on this question. Therefore, towards such persons the Central Committee has decided on a policy of passing the death sentence with a reprieve and subjecting them to forced labour to see how they behave. If some are beyond reform and continue their wrongdoing, they can be executed later on, as the initiative is in our hands. All the local authorities are asked to adhere to the foregoing principle in dealing with the counter-revolutionaries uncovered in the Party, government, military, educational, industrial and commercial and people's organizations. As a precaution, the very small number of executions to be carried out (amounting to roughly 10 to 20 per cent of all those sentenced to death) must without exception be reported to the greater administrative areas or the greater military areas for approval. As for prominent figures whose execution might affect our united front work, approval must be obtained from the central authorities. In the case of counterrevolutionaries in the rural areas, we shall likewise put to death only those whose execution is necessary to assuage the people's anger, and none shall be executed unless the people so demand. To some we should similarly apply the policy of passing the death sentence with a reprieve. But persons whose death is demanded by the people must be executed so as to assuage their anger and help production. (May 8, 1951) 5 In no circumstances should the policy of "granting a two-year reprieve" be taken to mean not executing those criminals who owe blood debts or are guilty of other major crimes when their execution is demanded by the people. This would be wrong. We must make it clear to the district and village cadres and the masses that persons who have incurred the bitter hatred of one and all for their heinous crimes and have to be executed to assuage the people's anger must be put to death for this purpose. It is only on those counter-revolutionaries who are guilty of capital offences but have not incurred deep popular hatred and whose execution is not demanded by the people that we shall pass the death sentence with a two-year reprieve and impose forced labour to see how they behave. (June 15, 1951) 6 The work of suppressing counter-revolutionaries must be placed entirely under the unified leadership of the Party committees at all levels, and the responsible comrades of all public security and other organs associated with this work must, as always, unreservedly accept this leadership. (September 10, 1951) Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org
Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE FILM THE LIFE OF WU HSUN May20,195l [Abridged text of an editorial written for the People's Daily. The question raised by The Life of Wu Hsunis fundamental in nature.A fellow like Wu Hsun,[1] living as he did towards the end of the Ching Dynasty in an era of great struggle by the Chinese people against foreign aggressors and domestic reactionary feudal rulers,did not lift a finger against the feudal economic base or its superstructure;on the contrary,he strove fanatically to spread feudal culture and,in order to gain a position for this purpose previously beyond his reach,he fawned in every way on the reactionary feudal rulers-ought we to praise such disgusting behaviour?How can we tolerate praising it to the masses,especially when such praise flaunts the revolutionary banner of "serving the people"and when the failure of revolutionary peasant struggles is used as a foil to accentuate the praise?To approve or tolerate such praise is to approve or tolerate abuse of the revolutionary struggles of the peasants,abuse of Chinese history,abuse of the Chinese nation,and to regard such reactionary propaganda as justified. The appearance of the film The Life of Wu Hsun,and particularly the spate of praise lavished on Wu Hsun and the film,show how ideologically confused our country's cultural circles have become! In the view of many writers,history proceeds not by the new superseding the old,but by preserving the old from extinction through all kinds of exertion,not by waging class struggle to overthrow the reactionary feudal rulers who ought to be overthrown,but by negating the class struggle of the oppressed and submitting to these rulers in the manner of Wu Hsun.Our writers do not bother to study history and learn who were the enemies oppressing the Chinese people and whether there was anything commendable about those who submitted to these enemies and worked for them.Nor do they bother to find out what new economic formations of society,new class forces,new personalities and ideas have emerged in China during the century and more since the Opium War of 1840 in the struggle against the old economic formations and their superstructures(politics,culture, etc.)before they decide what to commend and praise,what not to,and what to oppose
Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE FILM THE LIFE OF WU HSUN May 20, 1951 [Abridged text of an editorial written for the People's Daily.] The question raised by The Life of Wu Hsunis fundamental in nature. A fellow like Wu Hsun, [1] living as he did towards the end of the Ching Dynasty in an era of great struggle by the Chinese people against foreign aggressors and domestic reactionary feudal rulers, did not lift a finger against the feudal economic base or its superstructure; on the contrary, he strove fanatically to spread feudal culture and, in order to gain a position for this purpose previously beyond his reach, he fawned in every way on the reactionary feudal rulers - ought we to praise such disgusting behaviour? How can we tolerate praising it to the masses, especially when such praise flaunts the revolutionary banner of "serving the people" and when the failure of revolutionary peasant struggles is used as a foil to accentuate the praise? To approve or tolerate such praise is to approve or tolerate abuse of the revolutionary struggles of the peasants, abuse of Chinese history, abuse of the Chinese nation, and to regard such reactionary propaganda as justified. The appearance of the film The Life of Wu Hsun,and particularly the spate of praise lavished on Wu Hsun and the film, show how ideologically confused our country's cultural circles have become! In the view of many writers, history proceeds not by the new superseding the old, but by preserving the old from extinction through all kinds of exertion, not by waging class struggle to overthrow the reactionary feudal rulers who ought to be overthrown, but by negating the class struggle of the oppressed and submitting to these rulers in the manner of Wu Hsun. Our writers do not bother to study history and learn who were the enemies oppressing the Chinese people and whether there was anything commendable about those who submitted to these enemies and worked for them. Nor do they bother to find out what new economic formations of society, new class forces, new personalities and ideas have emerged in China during the century and more since the Opium War of 1840 in the struggle against the old economic formations and their superstructures (politics, culture, etc.) before they decide what to commend and praise, what not to, and what to oppose