Written/Delivered: 2 July 1975.
English translation: Classified Chinese Communist Documents: A
Selection. Taipei :
Institute of International Relations, 1978, pp. 634-635.
Transcription: www.wengewang.org.
HTML/Markup for marxists.org: Juan Fajardo, 2014.
Through: Hopei Provincial Party Committee, Shihchiachuang
To: Delegates to the All-China Conference on Work in Agriculture
How do you do, Comrades:
We are facing problems, some of them beyond expectation; but as members of the Communist Party, we should have the confidence and ability to solve all of them. The convocation of this conference undoubtedly reflects this attitude of acknowledging, understanding, and solving problems by tracing them back to their origins.
"If we solve several individual problems in a single conference, then the results [of the conference] will be considered very good." To accomplish this, I hope the comrades will understand that the most basic condition for developing an excellent situation is constantly to arm our leadership with the theories of Marxism, thoroughly to investigate and study, to use the arrow of Chairman Mao's thought to shoot at the ultimate source of the problem, and to oppose the concept that "the people regard food as the first requisite, so when revolution and production are in conflict, the grasp of revolution should be somewhat slackened, and in calamities where agricultural production cannot catch up, revolutionary movement should be postponed." Only under the guidance of the correct ideology can we correct and have effective revolutionary action and find ways and means to overcome difficulties (sic). "If one wishes to expand his vision to a thousand H, he must ascend one story higher." For us, taking a high stand, looking afar, cultivating firm conference, and finding the correct methods — ideological methods -- are short and easy approaches.
The Szechwan Provincial Party Committee has proposed that "in fighting calamities, emulating Tachai should become the foremost model." This method is very good. The experience of Tachai is a treasurable experience accumulated through struggles against the heavens, against the earth and against men on the agricultural front in the past 20 years. To learn or not learn from Tachai and to take or not take the road of Tachai depends on our perseverance in the struggle on the road of socialist agriculture. This question has remained the same as in the past and the present.
On many occasions we have been willing to yield. But no matter how high our goodwill, we cannot yield to the degree of letting political swindlers like Liu Shao-ch'i and Lin Piao have things their own way. Class struggle is sharp and pointed. All members of the Communist Party must never relax their vigilance. We do not wish that difficulties in agriculture should repeat in our country the history of Soviet Russia's revisionism. There are many "Mr. Goodie Goodies" of the Malenkov type, and Khrushchev-type people have surrounded us. "Yielding the position to others" is yielding power. The struggle between socialism and revisionism is not a fight for power and a scramble for profits, but a struggle between two classes and two lines. Therefore, we must not let those who use agriculture as a battleground incite sentiments of antagonism, play tricks and bargain for prices, or the revolution will be delayed for several decades or a hundred years and more losses would be incurred.
In consideration of these factors, the Central Committee has sent Comrade Wang Hung-wen to attend the conference in person. And I am hereby expressing my congratulations to all comrades and wishing you a victorious conclusion of your conference.
Chiang Ch'ing July 2, 1975