Chapter 18 Economic construction is a science, which must be studied honestly[1]

(June 11, 1959) China is an underdeveloped country with a low level of industry and agriculture, and many people are illiterate.We are now actively organizing our own economy, raising the cultural level of the people, developing our industry, and equipping agriculture with machinery.Now the work begins, just the beginning.As for making achievements, it takes time and the help of friends, and it cannot be achieved in a short period of time.It takes a process for a big country like ours to improve its economic and cultural level and build modern industry, agriculture and cultural education.We have now put forward the slogan of "many, fast, good, and economical" for economic and cultural construction.It can be faster, but it can't be sooner. Thinking sooner is bragging, you won't believe it, and I don't believe it either.Like walking, it always takes some time.We have been doing it for ten years, but as you know, our industry is only so small, and agriculture is still a handicraft type, and it may take another ten years to make some progress.China should not only take care of itself and live its own life, but also help other countries and nations, which is of some benefit to the world.Like any other country, it has to do something not only for itself but also for the world.It is necessary to help each other and develop economic relations with other countries, especially understanding and exchanging experiences among Asian, African and Latin American countries.It is not acceptable to shut down the economy, an exchange is needed.There are 20 countries in Central America and South America. It is possible to have economic ties with Asian countries such as China, and it is also possible to have cultural ties and exchange beneficial things with each other.Japan is an Asian country and our neighbor. We have fought wars with them, and the relationship has not been very good recently. However, people-to-people exchanges still exist, and there are still Japanese non-governmental delegations visiting China.Although China and Japan have no diplomatic relations, and the Japanese government is not friendly to us, the people of the two countries still communicate with each other, and it is very free and natural for people to communicate with each other.If possible, we will send a delegation to South America to visit your country.

What we did in the past was called revolution, but what we are doing now is called construction. It is new and has no experience.How to engage in industry, such as iron and steel smelting, was not well known in the past.This is science and technology, and it is a war against the earth. Of course, this is only a war against the Chinese part of the earth, not against you.If we don’t have a good understanding of the natural world, or if we don’t have a clear understanding, we will run into a wall, and the natural world will punish us and resist.For example, if a dam is not well repaired and of poor quality, it will be washed away by the water, submerging houses and land. Isn’t this a punishment?

I can tell you that we only started doing economic work in earnest last August[2].I am one.Before August last year, the main thing was not to engage in construction, but to engage in revolution.Many comrades are like this, focusing on revolution, social reform, rather than on transforming the natural world.In terms of fighting against nature, our first teacher is the Soviet Union, and we must first learn from the Soviet Union, but the United States is also our teacher.The sulfur content of steel made in the United States is 0.04%, but only a few places in our country have a sulfur content of 0.037%, and the quality of steel made in most places is not good.This is a new problem, don't be naughty, and learn honestly.If you are careless, naughty, and pretend to be a hero, you will definitely stumble.Revolutionary work is not easy, it is a science, and economic construction is also a science.

In socialist construction, a very important issue is comprehensive balance.For example, socialist construction requires various things such as steel and iron, and without one of them, there cannot be a comprehensive balance.Some of us keep forgetting a condition or two when we do things.For example, ironmaking cannot be done without refractory bricks, so they used the pottery clay used to make plates to make refractory bricks, so the plates were not enough, so they had to find refractory materials in other places to restore the original ceramic production.This matter is very complicated, and every industry will have such things.Industry, agriculture, commerce, and transportation may all come across.Agriculture should also be integrated and balanced. Agriculture includes five aspects: agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, sideline and fishery.

China has hope.It also depends on your help, the help of the peace-loving people in the world, and the most important thing is to maintain a peaceful environment, which is everyone's best interest.You want peace, and so do we. Published based on the transcript of the conversation kept by the Central Archives. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] This is an excerpt from the conversation between Mao Zedong and the Peruvian parliamentarian group. [2] The enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held in Beidaihe from August 17 to 30, 1958 mainly discussed the national economic plan for 1959 and industrial production, agricultural production, rural work and business work etc.The meeting made the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the 1959 Plan and the Second Five-Year Plan" and "The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Establishment of People's Commune in Rural Areas".