Volatile Situation: The Beginning and End of the 7000-Person Conference

Author: Zhang Suhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: As time goes by, the profound impact of the enlarged central work conference held in Beijing in early 1962, attended by over 7,000 cadres from county party committees and above, has become increasingly evident. The author of The Turning Point, a researcher at the Central Party Research Office, has a deep understanding of this period in history and possesses unparalleled access to relevant materials. The book comprehensively and thoroughly records the background, proceedings, and activities of key figures at the 7,000 Cadres Conference, combining historical significance with reading value. – China Book News
From January 11 to February 7, 1962, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Beijing held an enlarged central work conference attended by over 7,000 cadres from county party committees and above, known as the "7,000 Cadres Conference." The scale of the participants was unprecedented. Even more intriguing was the wealth of information embedded in the conference itself and its far-reaching impact on later history. The conference was called to address the economic difficulties of 1959–1961 by summarizing experience and combating decentralization. However, the conference's agenda and themes underwent a series of unexpected changes. The relaxed democratic atmosphere, described as "venting frustrations during the day and enjoying performances at night," allowed people to touch upon major issues such as who should bear the consequences and responsibilities of the "Great Leap Forward" and how to evaluate the "Three Red Flags." Inspired by the conference, a new situation emerged across the country in the spring and summer of 1962. But soon after, the situation changed again as Mao Zedong re-emphasized class struggle. The 7,000 Cadres Conference and the subsequent ideological divisions it generated became a remote cause of the later Cultural Revolution.
Drawing on years of interviews, material collection, and research, the author of this book presents for the first time a comprehensive, in-depth, and detailed disclosure of the origins, course, and twists of the 7,000 Cadres Conference. The book provides detailed analyses of Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Chen Yun, Lin Biao, Deng Xiaoping, as well as the cadres from provincial and county party committees. It is rich in historical value and fills a gap in the study of Party history.