Volatile Situation (The Beginning and End of the 7,000-Person Conference)

Author: Zhang Suhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: As time goes by, the profound impact of the conference held in Beijing in early 1962, attended by over 7,000 cadres above the county level, has become increasingly evident. The author of The Turning Point, a researcher at the Central Party, has a deep understanding of this period in history and unparalleled access to related materials. The book comprehensively and thoroughly records the background, proceedings, and activities of key figures at the 7,000 Cadres Conference, combining both historical and 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 above the county level, known as the "7,000 Cadres Conference." The scale of the participants was unprecedented. Even more intriguing was the wealth of information it contained 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 watching 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 distant 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. It provides detailed analyses of Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Chen Yun, Lin Biao, Deng Xiaoping, as well as the cadres responsible for provincial and county-level committees. This book is rich in historical value and fills a gap in the study of Party history.