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8/27/1949 - “New Political Consultative Conference” - Plans Communist Party Characteristics...Requirements...Organization by A. Doak Barnett

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS ADB U S Consulate HongkongAugust Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Oun World Affairs Fifth Avenue New Yoxk N Y Dear Mr Roger The Communists possess predominance power China setting Peoples Government legalize formalize their territory under conrol their People Liberation Army Local governments being established piecemeal basis months Communists issued announcement which served notice Chinese public world groundwork being overall national goernment Communis China On June Peiping People official organ North China Buxeau ofthe Chinese Omnist Party carried prominent headline The Preparatory Committee New Political Consultative Conference established Peiping It preparing convoke Ne Political Consultative Conference estab Democratic Coalition Government prior announcement literate public China known Communists intention establish government means Political onsultative Conference outside inner circle Communists their closest political allies steps being taken direction Since brief flurry publicity June furthermore curtain dropped again political stage Communist territory At present secret level discussions taking place iPeipi New Political Consultative Conference expected convene future AccOrding prevalent rumor Peiping Communists national government ready formal inauguration October anniversary Wuchang Uprising which collapse Manchu Dynasty political observers believe machinery government cannot assembled greased started running before In establishmet formal national regime Communist territory imminent government comes existence Chinese Communist Party transformed itself party leading revolutionary movement party running government controlling major nation This government claim recognition Government China superceding Nationalist Governmen scattered refugee centers Canton Chungking Formosa On thismaJor political development I describe subseue2t letters background government politics Communist China My informtion foreign observers China fra6me2tary believe during months I spent Oommuist Peiping I gathered information impressions ifficult obtain elsewhere In United Sates government comparatively restrict It enerally refer elected representative bodies bureaucracy together formulate implement policies In China however broader interpretation The right formulate policies power enforce decisions bindln6 force actual administration concentrated solely hands civil overnmen One dramatic illustration Ohinese Gommunists already overn roughly China central 6overnmen The Communists central government ithin short peiod predict government iself possess monopol governln authority territory under Jurisdiction There China Nationalist Communist errior parallel lines authority pvernment carries functionsof goverenel nature This division completely eliminated since because social revolution forei invasion civil internal chaos pvented sebillty necessary civil goverent nopolize power peacefully relly these centers euthorit merged overlappin personnel centralizationofleadershipd control bucetrlf forces constantly operated separate certain degree three carried overnal fctions separate organizations Alst always party supre however itself conrolli thearmydthe Thesupremacyofthepartyisstriki Counist territo I therefore describe cracteris chinese Counis Part before 6oin6 goverental structu controls According pamphlet entitled Textbook Communist Party embers based largely Report Amennt Ofthe constitution May All Ghina Oounist Pat Congress Liu Shao Central Coittee Secretaria onpartoganlzation andjopa heorlst The Ghinese Conlst Part orgazed orkers armersdilabours Includin intellecuals prressIve ehiest dgree consciousness determined toservetheel areotheGhlnesepeopleandhohe mowishostruleor eNewDemocra 1cSocletandaCois society Aocoin definition thefo party limited class basis The mbership restricted workers farrs laborers intellectuals The intellectual flexibly interpted course andny theop leaders party proletari class origin theorye party membership officially defined class basis One whole chapter In pamphlet titled Pary Discipline The emphasis discipline confined chapter alone however theme throughout When member initiated formal party members example organization sacrifice myself execute orders observe discipline protect secrets pamphlet asserts every party member observe party discipline If person violates discipline punished partY This emphasis discipline distinguishing characteristics Chinese Communist Party Some people described membership party similar professional soldier It career person Joins party bound party decisions assigned Job locality Not party member according assignments leaders entirely dependent party livelihood This dependence almost complete because party system supporting members A party member family given every consideration allomen medical education salaries nominal As resul members financial independence It difficult enter party No recrui years introduced member addition obtain personal guarantee which regular membe assumes responsibility before Ipary member reliabi After introduction prospective member through period political ideological organizational preparation Then undergo strict investigation examina His qualifications thoroughly discussed several levels party organizaions including Cell Branch District levels approved If found acceptable taken probationary member The probationary period varies present Manchuria three months workers agricultural laborers farmers people revolution soldiers month middle farmers organizational employees intellectuals Only after passing proba tionary testing period person become regular party member The effectiveness system ensuring discipline complete obedience loyalty party obvious anyone observed Chinese Communists operatlon party tlghtly corps carefully selected professional political careerists Discipline basic principles underlying Chinese Gommumlst Party Another leadership The Communist Party states pamphlet already cited ability kinds organizations farmers unions labor unions governments armies Communist Party highest command leadership organizations Stripped essentials Communists claim because their unique qualifications compose small group which right majority This special right possessed relatively small group China The Confucian bureaucracy China believed themselves governing elite because their scholastic uallficatlons after power Kuomintang Justified monopoly political power theory polltlcal tutelage outlined Sun Yat The Communists elalm special understanding social historical forces The communists specifically reject theory political tutelage principle leadership describe similar There differences detail For example Communists theory Of leadership definition exclude existence other political parties government theory political tutelage Communists their various minor parties political groups On other period political tutelage defined Ku0mintang heory limited period preparation eventual political competition period coasitutional democracy Kuomlntang finally permit formation minor parties although alter monopoly power whereas Oommunists theory leadership permanent without limitation theory In leadership essential Chinese Communists Ideology accordi ideology party should highest command leadership organiza tions governmental govermsntal The organization Chinese Communist Party itself based called theory democratic centralization centralization democratic ddemocracy under centallzed direction One understand meaninE phrase understand theoretical basis Communist organizatlonl The following quotation pamphlet previously qaoted elaborates theory Why party system centralization centralization democratic For example leadership Branch Branch Committee elected members Branch decisions passed after scussion Branch Congress Assembly procedures adopted Branch masses because power leader Brs Committee given Io Branch It Branch Committee responsible representi party masses carrying centralized leadership manages Branch Until decisions altered until BraAch Committee reelected comrades Branch Branch Congress corades Branch leadership Branch Committee because party established according principle individual obeys organi ation inoit obeys majority lower echelons higher echelons Branch organizations Central Committee party centralization democratic doesn depart democracy dictatorship individualism Why party democratic system under centralized direction For example Branch Congress convoked Branch committee Branch Committee convoked Branch Secretary District Committee directs convoking Branch Committee Branch Congress Every congress party leadership congresses discussion carried opinions expressed fullest extent criticism democratic carried leadership When Branch Committee elected presented higher party committee approval Branch decisions anwork presented District Committee instructions effect after instructions received District committee The decisions echelons leadership organizations first considered leadership organizations themselves given ongresses discussion Every party comply united party constitution common discipline The party democracy anarchistic carried leadership It clear extrem centralization authority fundamental characteristics Chinese Communist Party All appointments every decision andevery level party approval higher authorities which means course power decision important matters concentrated Democracy Chinese Communists seems participation activities party rather right ordinary party members direct influence onthe determination policy Party members discuss questions suggestions criticisms seems encouraged decision policy leaders member merely I hs_ve heard chinese express freedom decision The Communists successful however mobilizing participation organizations party party under their control persons brought first active political participation without great influence control policies experience The latest estimates party membership party leaders themselves place total membership about three million In character party membership there doubt these three million active members The Communists achieved wider their party terms participation party activities Kuomintang possesses althoug earlier years Kuomintang mobilized active supporters present broad Communist Pary members under system highly centralized control which almos aspects their defined orders instruc tions above The basic organization chinese Communist Party Branch which organized factory village organization where there three members Every Chinese communist belong these branches Each Branch elects Branch Committee chief which Secretary Branch Branch comparatively large orgamizes sections organization propaganda Although Branch considered party basic organizational members subdivided smaller groups Cells which leader Above branches party organization consists ofahierarchy committees bearing title Secretary encompassing progressively larger geogrmphical areas There committees ollowing levels District Hsien Municipality Region optional Province At Central committee I clear intermediate levels committees between District Committees Central Committee selected original Soviet system organization which party structure based followed consistently level elected level immediately below hierarchy This however In establishment Ne Democratic Youth Corps affiliate similar Komsomols USSR regional orklng conlttees appointe cases Central Committee Corps other cases conlttees level above those seieted Whether various levels regional committees party itself elected below appointed above however approvedby higher authorities The central Committee Communist Party chaian which Mao Tee pinnacle natlon Iza tlonal pyramld possesses unlimited authority sions blndi entire This committee which regular members alternates elected All Chlna communist Party Congress which meets irregular intervals There seven these congresses since party founded The All Chlna Congress theoreti cally supreme authority party extended intervals between congresses authority delegated Central Committee The Central Committee elects Standing Committee which functions btween plenary sessions recent which January The Central Committee selects Political Bureau special policy formultlng group secretarlat addition 0entral Committee appoints branches called Central Bureaux major regional areas example North China Bureau The secretaries bureaux members Central Committee acting important party leaders various regional areas ranking local party committees those areas The members Central Committee important Communist China The large maority party leaders prominent establishment party Long March Kiangsi period party history relative newcomers grade These positions outside Central COmmittee itself almost politically important organizations Communist trritory influence Central committee exercised directly through through Central Committee orders All military posts members Central Committee these include commanders People LiberationArm present former Red Army chiefs important Military Control ommissions cities omman tiers importsnt military districts Central Committee members highest governmental posts including chairmanships North China people Governmeat Central Plaits People Government regional governments formally established which cover entire major regionothecountry Inadditionthenationalheadsoimportant group organizations Which Just established nation organiZ ations during months members party Central Committee These include All Chine General Labor Union All China Youth Federation All China Women Federation The Chinese Oonunist Party therefore highly centralized organization professional political workers delegated power decisions group leaders The policies adopted these leaders force Comunis territory Some these policies apply mebers Mu others binding population Policies imllementedby disciplined membership oeher party workers cooperatiEwith In present party important existing governmental organizations territory under Communist control Government bodies assisted implemenatlon policy rarely formulation I expected governmental structure Connunis China becomes reasingly fonual permanen unifon Oonunist party through established governent administration greater degree there reason believe party relegate itself subordinate position abandon theory leadership As Communists msintein power party undoubtedly continue dominate political scene because founded theory primary leadership because controls power asser primacy In framework ernent independent continuous existence organization which several parties compete The governent organ party established identified In practical coalition government Connunists miGor parties allowed participate under Conunist leadership important decisions reserved Communist Central Committee possesses present power regardless formaappearance governe structure established Sincerely yours A Doak Barnet Received Nev York