Unite Natural Science Workers to Serve National Construction and Benefit Mankind -- Reading Zhou Enlai's Construction and Unity

On August 24, 1950, Zhou Enlai attended the National Conference of Natural Science Workers and delivered a speech on the topic of "Construction and Unity. In his speech, Zhou Enlai clarified how natural science workers should serve the construction of New China and benefit mankind, explained the necessity of the unity of scientific workers and how to unite scientific workers. He encouraged scientific workers to unite and create greater achievements for the construction of new China and the benefit of mankind.

　　Struggle for Building a New China with What You 've Learned 

Scientists study and work for the benefit of mankind. Zhou Enlai said, "In my opinion, people who are generally engaged in natural science research are more or less aware of the struggle against the natural world. They work hard and spiritually in their careers, with the aim of removing obstacles to human survival and improving human material life and developing spiritual life." In order to be free in nature, people must use natural science to understand nature, overcome nature and transform nature, and get freedom from nature. In this process, natural scientists work hard and work hard to serve human development. As for the purpose of learning, Zhou Enlai said, for example, those who study medicine want to cure the patients, those who study agriculture want to eliminate crop diseases and insect pests, those who study engineering want to make the material basis of human life better, and those who study science want to increase human scientific knowledge and improve the cultural level of the world. Zhou Enlai believes that the vast majority of scientists, "from the purpose of their own study and work, are for the benefit of mankind".

What scientists in old China learned was difficult to play a big role. Zhou Enlai pointed out that due to the destruction of the imperialists and the domestic reactionary ruling class, the old China could not be built, and it was difficult for science to grow on the soil of the old China, and scientists could not contribute their abilities. Although at that time, many scientists explored the way for China's future and scientific development and sought the truth, they did not succeed. Because "they have been under political and economic oppression", they are faced with "ideals can not be realized, plans can not be implemented, work can not be carried out, and even life is in trouble".

Fully support scientists to use what they have learned to serve the construction of new China. Looking back on the suffering history of scientists, Zhou Enlai intended to emphasize that "we have the conditions to unite scientists to serve the Chinese people today". He said: "Now the situation has completely changed. The new democratic revolution has won and the Chinese people have turned over. This has opened up an infinitely broad road for the development of Chinese science and scientists." He pointed out that "the Common Program adopted by the CPPCC provides for the construction of an independent, democratic, peaceful, unified, and prosperous new China, and for the transformation of China from an agricultural country into an industrial country, which sets the goals for the struggle of Chinese scientists. This direction and goal is very clear, and this is exactly what Chinese scientists have sought for the past century." He also clearly pointed out: "The direction and goal are determined, but the road requires us to go step by step."

　Lay a Good Foundation of Natural Science for the Construction of Service in All Aspects 

Lay a good foundation for the resumption of production and construction. After the founding of New China, the people received "old China was a mess of devastation". Zhou Enlai pointed out that to build on this mess, we must first heal the wounds of war and restore the destroyed industry and agriculture. For construction work, we must first lay a good foundation in order to provide conditions for the construction of solid high-rise buildings. It is not allowed to bury the hidden danger of falling down the building because the foundation is not firm.

On the basis of investigation, research and analysis, Zhou Enlai pointed out that there are too few scientific and technological heritages such as scientific equipment, equipment and materials that New China can receive. Therefore, under such a background, we must make some painstaking efforts, devote great efforts, and create conditions to break the reality that there is no deep foundation in natural science. Zhou Enlai said: "now that we want to carry out construction, we must first carry out the work of excavation, investigation, statistics and collection of materials." This is preparatory work and an important basic work for building a new China. In other words, the basic work must first find out what is there before considering what to develop with these resources.

Zhou Enlai put forward: "In the national construction plan, standing on the position of scientists, what should we start to do? It is impossible to do everything, we must start with a few basic tasks." He explained from five aspects.

Agriculture: first of all, the implementation of land reform, the liberation of productive forces, and then seek development. In conjunction with the land reform, we must start to do the following tasks, such as building water conservancy, building railways, and manufacturing chemical fertilizers. These major events require the efforts of scientists.

Forestry: first of all, the forestry foundation is too small, to expand the foundation. At the same time, great efforts should be made to refurbish the forestry administration and cut the trees according to scientific methods. And do a good job of forest protection and afforestation, to avoid the destruction of forests and forests into barren hills and bald mountains.

Industry: First of all, it is clear that production should serve the interests of the people. Secondly, make good use of machine tools and equipment and arrange production reasonably. Production cannot fail to consider the distance between the place of production and processing and the place of raw materials and the market, as well as the degree of urgent need for the product. At the same time, it cannot be ignored that a good fuel resource survey can provide a key guarantee for production and supply power.

Medical and health care: to solve the national health conference raised the issue of universal medical care. We should speed up the allocation of hospitals, health centers and medical staff. At the same time, we should pay attention to the construction of medical team and train medical personnel.

In the defense industry, experts are needed to manufacture weapons and aircraft, and they also feel that there are not enough talents.

Zhou Enlai put forward the construction requirements in these five aspects, which pointed out the focus of the basic work of natural science, and also pointed out the reality that there are not enough experts. He further proposed that we should start with the investigation and statistics of the number of scientists in China, and make a comprehensive survey of the number, level, expertise, occupation and qualifications of Chinese natural science workers. In this way, they may be better placed in appropriate positions to serve the country and the people. He also expressed the hope that "existing scientists can train more young scientists".

　　The team of scientific workers should be united and unified 

To work effectively, scientists must unite. Zhou Enlai pointed out that the struggle against nature is infinite, so unity is also long-lasting. He emphasized: "All scientists who work hard for New China are friends and should be united."

Zhou Enlai believes that natural science is divided into different categories, it is impossible to learn the same, and the direction of each person's efforts is naturally different, and many natural sciences are learned from abroad. However, he stressed that in order to achieve and consolidate unity, we must get rid of the door-to-door view, not discriminate against each other, strengthen collective cooperation, and be good at "seeing other people's strengths, maintaining their own strengths, removing their weaknesses, learning from each other, and learning from each other". He pointed out that "in a scientific group, people come from different living environments and have different ideas and lifestyles, so it is not easy to get together." however, "unity is formed and developed in contradictions." people have different hearts and minds. People's wisdom, talent, personality are different, sometimes there are contradictions between each other. "Unity is the unity of the parties to the conflict on common ground". Those who are good at uniting are those who are good at unifying contradictions in common. Steel and cement are different substances, and when they are combined, they become something as powerful as steel cement. Can't scientists unify people with different opinions and tempers when they can combine and unify different substances in nature? "In our own ranks, we just want to emphasize unity and solidarity." He hoped that natural science workers would work hard in unity, advance hand in hand, seek welfare for the Chinese nation and the people, and create greater achievements "not under Yu.

Source: Learning Times