Source 3

Transcript

Liu Shao-ch’i’s Confession (Wallposter August 1)

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On the Xth of X month 1967 you issued an urgent order that Liu Shao-ch’i should present a written self-examination before the Xth of X month specifically replying to the eight questions posed in Chi Pen-yu’s essay. My answer is as follows:

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[Why, after liberation, did you make every effort to oppose the socialist transformation of capitalist industry and commerce? Why did you oppose agricultural co-operatives and cut them back?]

3. After liberation I made every effort to advocate the socialist transformation of capitalist industry and commerce. I did not oppose this. In 1951 I approved an article sent from Shanshi about agricultural co-operatives: this approval was wrong. At a meeting of the Central Committee I listened to a report on the question of co-operatives by Teng Tzu-hui and I did not refute his mistaken opinions. Thereupon he promoted them widely and cut back 200,000 co-operatives. Afterwards Chairman Mao criticised the errors of Teng Tzu-hui and published a very important essay on agricultural co-operatives thus bringing about a high tide of agricultural co-operatives.

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[Why, in the socialist education movement, did you promote and advocate a line which in form was “left” but in reality “right” opportunism, and why did you sabotage the socialist education movement?]

7. In the summer of 1964 I made speeches in several cities, in some of which were tendencies which were “left” in form but “right” in fact. In my self-examination of the 23rd of October last year I have already given a detailed explanation. There is no need to do so again. The “peach garden” experience was at the time comparatively good. It was not an example of “left” in form and “right” in substance.

[Why, during the Proletarian Cultural Revolution have you colluded with another very big person in authority within the Party going the capitalist road and advocated and promoted the bourgeois reactionary line?]

8. In the Proletarian Cultural Revolution, as to why I have advocated and promoted the bourgeois reactionary line, I myself am also not clear about this. Nor have I read any essay which can fully explain why I have made errors of line. After the 11th Plenum of the 8th Party Congress criticised my errors, there were also others who committed errors of a similar nature, but they also do not know why. I am going to endeavour to study Chairman Mao’s works and carefully peruse other books which Chairman Mao directs me to read as well as the relevant essays in newspapers, in order to be able to get this question fully clear from the ideological viewpoint, and moreover sincerely to hold a self-examination among the revolutionary masses. Only then shall I be able to reply as to why I committed errors of line in this Proletarian Cultural Revolution and how to correct this error.

With greetings, Proletarian Cultural Revolution greetings, long live the invincible great thought of Mao Tse-tung! Long live the Great Leader, Great Teacher, Great Commander, Great Helmsman Mao Tse-tung.

Liu Shao-ch’i