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 from county-level party committees and above, 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 historical significance with reading value. – People’s Literature News, January 11, 1962 to February 7, 1962
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-level party committees and above, known as the "7,000 Cadres Conference." The scale of the conference was unprecedented. What made it 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 enjoying performances at night," allowed people to touch on major issues such as who should bear the consequences and responsibility for 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 when Mao Zedong re-emphasized class struggle. The 7,000 Cadres Conference and the disagreements that arose afterward became a distant cause of the later Cultural Revolution.
Drawing on years of interviews, material collection, and research, the author of this book provides a thorough, in-depth, and detailed disclosure of the origins, course, and twists of the 7,000 Cadres Conference. It offers detailed analyses of Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Chen Yun, Lin Biao, Deng Xiaoping, as well as cadres from provincial and county-level party committees. The book is rich in historical value and fills a gap in the study of Party history.