Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 February 2009
Perhaps the most significant development affecting the Chinese army in recent months has been the campaign to “Learn from the Experience of the People's Liberation Army in Political and Ideological Work” launched by the People's Daily editorial of February 1, 1964. In the context of the nation-wide emulation movement, the Liberation Army's achievements in this field of political work make it a model for the whole nation to “learn from, study and compare with.” Industries, commercial enterprises, government departments, trade unions, rural work cadres and other important sections of the community are reported to have taken up the challenge to “learn from the People's Liberation Army.” At the same time there has been an exceptional quantity of news about the political achievements of the Army and of its model soldiers and companies.
1 NCNA, February 1, 1964, Survey of the China Mainland Press (SCMP) (Hong Kong: U.S. Consulate-General), No. 3154.Google Scholar
2 Peking Radio, January 17, 1964, B.B.C.'s Summary of World Broadcasts (SWB), Part 3, FE/1461.Google Scholar
3 People's Daily, 01 22, 1964; “Several Questions on the Present Political Work in the Armed Forces,” SCMP, No. 3154.Google Scholar
4 Piao, Lin, “Hold High the Red Banner of the Party's General Line and Chairman Mao's Military Thought and Advance in Big Strides,” NCNA, 09 29, 1959, Current Background (CB) (Hong Kong: U.S. Consulate-General), No. 596.Google Scholar
5 NCNA, October 8, 1960, “Marshal Lin Piao on Political Work in the Chinese PLA,” SCMP, No. 2358.Google Scholar
6 Text in Kung-tso T'ung-hsun (Bulletin of Activities), No. 3.Google Scholar
7 PLA Political Work Conferences were held in March 1961, October 18–November 11, 1961, February 1963, January 1964.Google Scholar
8 For the text of these and other formulae, see “Terms of PLA Political Work,” Chieh-fang Chün-pao (Liberation Army Daily), 01 22, 1964, SWB, Part 3, FE/WS/251.Google Scholar
9 Chih-chien, Liu, “Strengthen Ideological and Political Work among Youths in the Army, Bring them up as ‘Red and Expert’ successors,” Chung-Kuo Ching-nien Pao (Chinese Youth Paper), 05 3, 1961, SCMP, No. 2503: Liu referred to young conscripts who “are frequently susceptible to the corruptive influences of bourgeois ideology” or who “failed to adopt a sufficiently correct attitude towards military service.”Google Scholar
10 Quoted in People's Daily, November 15, 1961, “Comrade Hsiao Hua dwells on important work of company-building at PLA Political Work Conference,” SCMP No. 2626.Google Scholar
11 People's Daily, April 1, 1963, “Basic Experiences of the Past Two Years Concerning the Creation of 4-Good Companies in the Army,” SCMP, No. 2971.Google Scholar
12 NCNA, November 21, 1961, “Four Sets of Regulations on Political Work in Company-level Units of PLA Promulgated for Enforcement,” SCMP, No. 2630.Google Scholar
13 People's Daily, 11 15, 1961, see note 10.Google Scholar
14 Lin Piao on the “Four Relationships,” in “Terms of PLA Political Work,” see note 8.Google Scholar
15 PLA Political Department, April 1962: “Seven measures for improving the leadership of armed forces' organisations over companies,” in “Terms of PLA Political Work,” see note 8.Google Scholar
16 People's Daily, 01 22, 1964, see note 3.Google Scholar
17 The Political Work Regulations are summarised in People's Daily, May 10, 1963, “Raise Aloft the Great Red Banner of the Thought of Mao Tse-tung, Resolutely Implement Regulations Governing PLA Political Work,” SCMP, No. 2984.Google Scholar
18 Ibid.
19 NCNA, February 1, 1964, “Shanghai Civilians Study PLA's Political Work Methods,” SWB, Part 3, FE/WS/252.Google Scholar
20 People's Daily editorial, 01 1, 1964, “Raise still Higher the Great Banner of Mao Tse-tung's thinking, perform the tasks of creating ‘Four-Good’ companies in a still better manner,” SWB, Part 3, FE/1448.Google Scholar
21 Peking Radio, February 28, 1964, SWB, Part 3, FE/WS/254.Google Scholar
22 People's Daily, 02 20, 1964Google Scholar, SWB, Part 3, FE/WS/253. These cadres work under direct Party leadership in the finance and trade departments to which they are assigned. “They adhere to principle, firmly resist the bourgeois influence and combat various undesirable practices.” In 1964, it is planned to send more army cadres to do this work. Ta-kung Pao editorial, 02 29, 1964, SCMP, No 3183.Google Scholar
23 Peking Radio, February 10, 1964, SWB, Part 3, FE/WS/252.Google Scholar
24 NCNA, October 8, 1960, see note 5.Google Scholar
25 People's Daily, 04 1, 1963, see note 11.Google Scholar
26 People's Daily, 02 18, 1964. “Inspiration from Kuo Hsing-fu's teaching methods,” SWB, Part 3, FE/1489.Google Scholar
27 People's Daily, 03 18, 1964, editorial on the “Five Good Workshop,” SWB, Part 3, FE/WS/257.Google Scholar
28 People's Daily, 04 4, 1964, “Industrial and transport departments must learn well the good experiences of the PLA,” SWB, Part 3, FE/WS/259.Google Scholar