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The CPC not only has experience in leading the Chinese revolution, construction and reform, but also has learned lessons from its past mistakes, which caused great losses to the party, state and nation. The serious mistakes mainly refer to those committed during the period from 1957 to 1976, when the “cultural revolution” ended. In Deng Xiaoping’s words, the CPC had engaged in the “left” practice for 20 years. He said that for two decades the income of peasants and workers increased very little, and their living standards were very low. Productivity did not develop much. But the CPC did not lose the support of the people because of its mistakes.
The CPC’s awareness and practice of responsibility, truly sharing weal and woe with the masses, and its responsible attitude, speech and action, showing that it has the courage to face and correct mistakes, won the understanding and support of the broad masses of the people.
From 1949-1956, it took New China only seven years to complete the socialist transformation of private ownership of the means of production and build a socialist society. At the end of 1957 most construction indicators of the first Five-Year Plan (1953-57) were over-fulfilled, due to the Chinese people’s determination to change the impoverished and backward state of the country.
Under these circumstances, the “Great Leap Forward” movement (1958-60) was launched without serious investigation, research or even a pilot study by the CPC, which had no experience in socialist construction and an inadequate understanding of the laws of economic development and the basic situation of China’s economy.
The “Great Leap Forward” disrupted the national economy, wasted a lot of manpower and resources, and caused a serious imbalance in the proportion of industry to agriculture. From 1957-1960, the average food consumption of urban and rural residents decreased by 19.4 percent, and percapita consumption in rural areas shrank by 23.7 percent.
Losses caused by the “Great Leap Forward” amounted to an estimated 120 billion yuan ($18.9 billion, according to the latest exchange rate).
In the very difficult years from 1959-1961, people did not have enough to eat. In 1962, people’s lives began to get better, and gradually reached their original level. But the “left” mentality persisted, and led to the disastrous “cultural revolution” (1966-76).
The “cultural revolution” was a catastrophe: Politically, it confused friend with foe, and people were unjustly, falsely, or wrongly charged or sentenced. Economically, it denounced the “doctrine of the unique importance of the productive forces,” and “the national income lost 500 billion yuan ($78.8 billion, according to the latest exchange rate).” Culturally, it caused “a hundred flowers to wither” (only a limited number of operas and shows were produced and performed on stage), and education and science and technology suffered heavy losses. The 10-year calamity widened the economic, scientific, cultural and educational gap between China and the developed countries.
The “Great Leap Forward” and “cultural revolution” brought huge losses to the party, the state and the nation, and their lessons were profound. Through study of and reflection upon the “Great Leap Forward,”the “cultural revolution” and other mistakes, people could come to different conclusions from different perspectives, but from the perspective of the CPC’s independent exploration of its own path to socialist construction, the two movements had something in common, that is, they both reflected a serious departure of subjective knowledge from
objective reality, and of effect from motive.
The aim of Mao Zedong’s launching of the “Great Leap Forward” was to quickly change the backward nature of the country, so that China could soon become a great power and catch up with the developed countries. The problem was: The ways and means to achieve this goal ran into trouble, so the effect of the “Great Leap Forward”was negative.
The “Great Leap Forward” caused great destruction and waste to industrial and agricultural production and construction. However, much of the work of industrial construction, scientific research and cuttingedge technology development in national defense, construction of water conservancy, and the mechanization and modernization of agriculture began in those years.
The most outstanding development was in the petroleum industry and cuttingedge science and technology for national defense. China had previously been considered to be a country lacking in oil, which it had to import. But in 1959 a huge oil reserve was discovered in northeast China’s Daqing area. In 1960, when the national economy was suffering its worst difficulties, the CPC Central Committee decided to deploy workers, cadres and technical personnel from various sectors to focus on the exploration and development of the oilfield at Daqing. In just one year, the extent of the oil deposit was ascertained and trial production was conducted. Within three years, China’s largest oil base was set up, and its production accounted for two-thirds of the national total. By 1965 China was self-sufficient in oil.
Hu Qiaomu, a long-time secretary to Mao, also pointed out that during the 20 years of “left” mistakes, as a whole the country’s economy still developed. Even during the 10 years of the “cultural revolution” there were achievements in science, technology and diplomacy. It was these achievements that enabled the CPC to reunite the people and get their support after mistakes and setbacks.
Another important reason why the CPC retained the people’s trust and support was that Mao and the other leaders stuck with the masses through thick and thin.
During the difficult period for the national economy, people’s lives were very difficult. Mao and other central leaders felt they should experience this in person, so they took the lead in tightening their belts during the difficulties. In order to set an example, Mao himself stopped eating his favorite braised pork. He held three birthday celebrations during the period and, judged from the recipes preserved, there was no liquor, no birthday cake, and not the slightest atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity was to be seen. December 26, 1962 was Mao’s 69th birthday. He had his breakfast and a bowl of cereal in the evening only. At the same time, Mao reduced his own salary from 600 yuan for level-one cadres to 404.8 yuan per month for level-three cadres. This was not changed until his death in 1976. In order to further narrow the wage gap and facilitate closer relations between leaders and the masses, the following arrangements were made regarding the reduction of existing wage standards for responsible state organ cadres of the CPC: Wages at levels one, two and three would be reduced by 12 percent; level four by 10 percent; level five by 8 percent; level six by 6 percent; level seven by 4 percent; level eight by 2 percent; and levels nine to 17 by 1 percent. The wages of CPC cadres in enterprises and institutions equivalent to level 17 of those of state organs were similarly reduced. The wages of responsible CPC cadres on military service were reduced accordingly.
They had reduced the wages for senior cadres three times, and clearly stipulated that wages for senior cadres should not be increased any further. Wages of cadres, workers and staff members should only be raised gradually on the basis of production development to improve the people’s lives.
Throughout its history, Chinese society had developed a collective mentality in which communities—from the smallest family to the country as a whole—shared weal and woe. If a family encountered difficulties, the couple and their relatives would resolve them jointly; if the country was in trouble, people with lofty ideals would offer all they had to help. The ancient Chinese historical work Intrigues of the Warring States: Strategies of Yan, tells how the Prince of the state of Yan personally attended the weddings and funerals of every family, sharing happiness and misery with his people. Eventually, under his rule, the state of Yan became prosperous and its people well-off, and the prince himself was widely esteemed.
When it made serious mistakes during its exploration of the correct road to social- ism the CPC made no attempt to cover up the truth, but openly admitted, reflected on and corrected the mistakes, and learned from them.
For the mistakes in the course of the“Great Leap Forward,” Mao Zedong volunteered to assume personal responsibility. And when the “cultural revolution”ended, the CPC Central Committee started to restore things to order. The Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of the CPC Since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China, adopted by the CPC Central Committee in June 1981, totally condemned the “cultural revolution” as a serious mistake, and at the same time clearly pointed out that Mao should be mainly held responsible for those mistakes.
While acknowledging that Mao made some mistakes, the CPC Central Committee also correctly evaluated his achievements, setting to right the two kinds of incorrect trends of thought which either completely affirmed or negated him. Deng Xiaoping pointed out that Chairman Mao’s achievements should rank first, and his mistakes second; he was the main founder of the CPC and the People’s Republic of China. “What he did for the Chinese people cannot be denied,” he said.
In the last chapter of the Analects of Confucius, there is a saying: “Mistakes of a gentleman are like eclipses of the sun and the moon; if one makes a mistake, everyone will see it, but if he corrects it, all will respect him.” The practice that the CPC makes no attempt to cover up its mistakes, but corrects them promptly is in line with the Chinese criterion of judging the “mistake of a gentleman.” Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why the CPC still enjoys the support of the masses.
“Upholding the truth and correcting mistakes as they occur” will continue to be the working attitude, method, and creed that the CPC needs to adhere to in order to keep the trust of the people in the future process of reform and development.
The CPC’s awareness and practice of responsibility, truly sharing weal and woe with the masses, and its responsible attitude, speech and action, showing that it has the courage to face and correct mistakes, won the understanding and support of the broad masses of the people.
From 1949-1956, it took New China only seven years to complete the socialist transformation of private ownership of the means of production and build a socialist society. At the end of 1957 most construction indicators of the first Five-Year Plan (1953-57) were over-fulfilled, due to the Chinese people’s determination to change the impoverished and backward state of the country.
Under these circumstances, the “Great Leap Forward” movement (1958-60) was launched without serious investigation, research or even a pilot study by the CPC, which had no experience in socialist construction and an inadequate understanding of the laws of economic development and the basic situation of China’s economy.
The “Great Leap Forward” disrupted the national economy, wasted a lot of manpower and resources, and caused a serious imbalance in the proportion of industry to agriculture. From 1957-1960, the average food consumption of urban and rural residents decreased by 19.4 percent, and percapita consumption in rural areas shrank by 23.7 percent.
Losses caused by the “Great Leap Forward” amounted to an estimated 120 billion yuan ($18.9 billion, according to the latest exchange rate).
In the very difficult years from 1959-1961, people did not have enough to eat. In 1962, people’s lives began to get better, and gradually reached their original level. But the “left” mentality persisted, and led to the disastrous “cultural revolution” (1966-76).
The “cultural revolution” was a catastrophe: Politically, it confused friend with foe, and people were unjustly, falsely, or wrongly charged or sentenced. Economically, it denounced the “doctrine of the unique importance of the productive forces,” and “the national income lost 500 billion yuan ($78.8 billion, according to the latest exchange rate).” Culturally, it caused “a hundred flowers to wither” (only a limited number of operas and shows were produced and performed on stage), and education and science and technology suffered heavy losses. The 10-year calamity widened the economic, scientific, cultural and educational gap between China and the developed countries.
The “Great Leap Forward” and “cultural revolution” brought huge losses to the party, the state and the nation, and their lessons were profound. Through study of and reflection upon the “Great Leap Forward,”the “cultural revolution” and other mistakes, people could come to different conclusions from different perspectives, but from the perspective of the CPC’s independent exploration of its own path to socialist construction, the two movements had something in common, that is, they both reflected a serious departure of subjective knowledge from
objective reality, and of effect from motive.
The aim of Mao Zedong’s launching of the “Great Leap Forward” was to quickly change the backward nature of the country, so that China could soon become a great power and catch up with the developed countries. The problem was: The ways and means to achieve this goal ran into trouble, so the effect of the “Great Leap Forward”was negative.
The “Great Leap Forward” caused great destruction and waste to industrial and agricultural production and construction. However, much of the work of industrial construction, scientific research and cuttingedge technology development in national defense, construction of water conservancy, and the mechanization and modernization of agriculture began in those years.
The most outstanding development was in the petroleum industry and cuttingedge science and technology for national defense. China had previously been considered to be a country lacking in oil, which it had to import. But in 1959 a huge oil reserve was discovered in northeast China’s Daqing area. In 1960, when the national economy was suffering its worst difficulties, the CPC Central Committee decided to deploy workers, cadres and technical personnel from various sectors to focus on the exploration and development of the oilfield at Daqing. In just one year, the extent of the oil deposit was ascertained and trial production was conducted. Within three years, China’s largest oil base was set up, and its production accounted for two-thirds of the national total. By 1965 China was self-sufficient in oil.
Hu Qiaomu, a long-time secretary to Mao, also pointed out that during the 20 years of “left” mistakes, as a whole the country’s economy still developed. Even during the 10 years of the “cultural revolution” there were achievements in science, technology and diplomacy. It was these achievements that enabled the CPC to reunite the people and get their support after mistakes and setbacks.
Another important reason why the CPC retained the people’s trust and support was that Mao and the other leaders stuck with the masses through thick and thin.
During the difficult period for the national economy, people’s lives were very difficult. Mao and other central leaders felt they should experience this in person, so they took the lead in tightening their belts during the difficulties. In order to set an example, Mao himself stopped eating his favorite braised pork. He held three birthday celebrations during the period and, judged from the recipes preserved, there was no liquor, no birthday cake, and not the slightest atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity was to be seen. December 26, 1962 was Mao’s 69th birthday. He had his breakfast and a bowl of cereal in the evening only. At the same time, Mao reduced his own salary from 600 yuan for level-one cadres to 404.8 yuan per month for level-three cadres. This was not changed until his death in 1976. In order to further narrow the wage gap and facilitate closer relations between leaders and the masses, the following arrangements were made regarding the reduction of existing wage standards for responsible state organ cadres of the CPC: Wages at levels one, two and three would be reduced by 12 percent; level four by 10 percent; level five by 8 percent; level six by 6 percent; level seven by 4 percent; level eight by 2 percent; and levels nine to 17 by 1 percent. The wages of CPC cadres in enterprises and institutions equivalent to level 17 of those of state organs were similarly reduced. The wages of responsible CPC cadres on military service were reduced accordingly.
They had reduced the wages for senior cadres three times, and clearly stipulated that wages for senior cadres should not be increased any further. Wages of cadres, workers and staff members should only be raised gradually on the basis of production development to improve the people’s lives.
Throughout its history, Chinese society had developed a collective mentality in which communities—from the smallest family to the country as a whole—shared weal and woe. If a family encountered difficulties, the couple and their relatives would resolve them jointly; if the country was in trouble, people with lofty ideals would offer all they had to help. The ancient Chinese historical work Intrigues of the Warring States: Strategies of Yan, tells how the Prince of the state of Yan personally attended the weddings and funerals of every family, sharing happiness and misery with his people. Eventually, under his rule, the state of Yan became prosperous and its people well-off, and the prince himself was widely esteemed.
When it made serious mistakes during its exploration of the correct road to social- ism the CPC made no attempt to cover up the truth, but openly admitted, reflected on and corrected the mistakes, and learned from them.
For the mistakes in the course of the“Great Leap Forward,” Mao Zedong volunteered to assume personal responsibility. And when the “cultural revolution”ended, the CPC Central Committee started to restore things to order. The Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of the CPC Since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China, adopted by the CPC Central Committee in June 1981, totally condemned the “cultural revolution” as a serious mistake, and at the same time clearly pointed out that Mao should be mainly held responsible for those mistakes.
While acknowledging that Mao made some mistakes, the CPC Central Committee also correctly evaluated his achievements, setting to right the two kinds of incorrect trends of thought which either completely affirmed or negated him. Deng Xiaoping pointed out that Chairman Mao’s achievements should rank first, and his mistakes second; he was the main founder of the CPC and the People’s Republic of China. “What he did for the Chinese people cannot be denied,” he said.
In the last chapter of the Analects of Confucius, there is a saying: “Mistakes of a gentleman are like eclipses of the sun and the moon; if one makes a mistake, everyone will see it, but if he corrects it, all will respect him.” The practice that the CPC makes no attempt to cover up its mistakes, but corrects them promptly is in line with the Chinese criterion of judging the “mistake of a gentleman.” Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why the CPC still enjoys the support of the masses.
“Upholding the truth and correcting mistakes as they occur” will continue to be the working attitude, method, and creed that the CPC needs to adhere to in order to keep the trust of the people in the future process of reform and development.