The first anti-corruption decree in party history

At the Memorial Hall of the Central Revolutionary Base in Ruijin, Jiangxi, a special document issued by Chairman Mao Zedong himself 90 years ago-"On Punishment of Corruption and Waste" is displayed. It is the first anti-corruption decree issued by the Communist Party of China, which has witnessed our party's firm determination to fight corruption in accordance with the law.

The first shot of anti-corruption in the Central Soviet Area

Soon after the establishment of the Chinese Soviet Republic, with the continuous development of the revolutionary situation, the corruption, waste, and corruption of the party and Soviet government staff at all levels have gradually manifested, which not only consumes a lot of financial and material resources, affects the economic development of the Soviet area, but also Seriously damage the image of the party and the Soviet government among the people. For this reason, the party and the Soviet government criticized and cracked down on all kinds of corruption.
At the beginning of the establishment of the Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic, the Central Workers' and Peasants' Procuratorial People's Committee was established to inspect and supervise state agencies and their staff on behalf of the workers and peasants, and to be responsible for prosecuting Soviet staff for corruption and waste and other criminal acts. The Ministry has set up a complaint bureau to accept complaints from the workers and peasants about the shortcomings and mistakes of the Soviet Union, and call on the masses to report and expose them and expel corrupt elements from the Soviet Union. The Red China newspaper, the organ of the Chinese Soviet government, also set up special columns such as "commandos", "iron rods", "hammers", "iron brooms" and "shameful blackboards" to expose all kinds of corruption, violations of law and discipline in the Soviet Union. Since the 56th issue, a "special number for the prosecution campaign" has been specially opened to promote the anti-corruption and waste campaign. With the call of the party and the Soviet government and the support of the army and people in the Soviet area, the anti-corruption campaign was carried out vigorously in the Central Soviet area, and some cases of corruption and waste were investigated and dealt. In 1932, Xie Busheng, a Soviet government cadre in Yeping Village, Ruijin County, was investigated for corruption, theft and other crimes. Since the Soviet Provisional Central Government was located in Yeping Village, Xie Busheng had some acquaintance. This situation has brought some resistance to the trial of the case. In response, Mao Zedong urged severe punishment and instructed, "If corruption is not eliminated, the Soviet banner will not be fought, and the Communist Party will lose its prestige and popular support! It is the bounden duty of us Communists to fight corruption, and no one can stop it!" As a result, the investigation of the case was carried out smoothly. In the end, Xie Busheng was sentenced to death in accordance with the law, which fired the first shot of the Central Soviet Area's anti-corruption campaign and fully demonstrated the determination of the party and the Soviet government to fight corruption.

the party's first anti-corruption law

With the in-depth development of the anti-corruption campaign, the leaders of the party and the Soviet government gradually found that due to the lack of special decrees to punish corruption and waste, there are no specific sentencing provisions and basis for the trial and sentencing of such cases. it is urgent to issue a decree specifically aimed at punishing corruption and waste.
Mao Zedong personally planned and practiced to promote the official promulgation of the party's first anti-corruption decree. Mao Zedong pointed out many times in public: "the banner of the Communist Party is to overthrow all corrupt officials!" "All government workers should be made to understand that corruption and waste are great crimes." And through Marxist communist schools, Soviet universities, and various training classes, party members and cadres are educated in Marxist-Leninist theory and party spirit, correcting various non-proletarian ideas, and maintaining the party spirit of honesty, hard work, and close contact with the masses. The fine style of work has effectively improved the ability of the majority of cadres to resist corruption and change. In addition, Mao Zedong and other central leaders also took the lead in setting an example. They did not enjoy special treatment in terms of food and housing, and shared joys and sorrows with ordinary cadres, setting an example for the fight against corruption in the Soviet area.
Together with Xiang Ying, vice chairman of the central government, Mao Zedong consulted the leaders of judicial organs, staff, and the masses of workers and peasants for their opinions and suggestions, and conducted a detailed investigation and demonstration on the standards for punishing corruption and waste. Especially in the sentencing of the death penalty, Mao Zedong and others are also extremely cautious. It not only refers to the relevant laws and regulations of the Soviet Union, but also combines the actual situation of the Soviet area. The decree establishes clear standards of punishment for the staff of Soviet institutions, State enterprises and public bodies who commit acts of corruption and waste. As the party's first decree on opposing corruption and waste, the "on punishing corruption and waste" has made specific punishment methods and sentencing standards for the corruption and waste of Soviet organs, state-owned enterprises and public organizations. Since then, the party's anti-corruption struggle has laws to follow and rules to follow.

It has established a clean and honest, diligent and upright spirit for the people.

In order to promote the smooth implementation of this decree in the Central Soviet Area and ensure its authority, the "Regarding Punishment of Corruption and Waste" was publicly issued in the name of the Central Executive Committee's instructions. At the same time, in order to let more people understand this decree, Mao Zedong also made full use of the propaganda role of the Red China newspaper, the largest circulation and most influential newspaper in the Soviet area, and published it in the Red China newspaper on January 4, 1934. Mao Zedong called on the public to expose the mistakes of corrupt elements, to find one, severely punish one, and never tolerate it.
Since then, judicial organs at all levels in the Soviet area have investigated and tried many corruption cases in accordance with Mao Zedong's instructions and in full accordance with the "on punishing corruption and waste. For example, Tang Renda, chief of the accounting section of the Ministry of Finance of the Soviet government in Ruijin County, embezzled public funds, public bonds, valley tickets, public property, etc. totaling more than 2000 yuan; Zuo Xiangyun, director of the Infrastructure Engineering Institute of the Second National Congress of the Chinese Soviet Union, embezzled public funds, defected with money, and stole military secrets; Yudu County Military Department Minister Liu Shixiang and others were sentenced to death by the Supreme Court for embezzlement of public funds.
In October 1933, in order to welcome the convening of the Second National Congress of Soviets (the "Second Soviet Congress"), the central government decided to build "six major buildings" including the Central Government Auditorium and the Red Army Martyrs Memorial Tower, and assigned the construction tasks to The Central Government General Affairs Department is responsible. The General Affairs Department specially set up the "Second Soviet Congress" infrastructure project to organize the construction. However, Zuo Xiangyun, director of the Infrastructure Engineering Institute of the "Second Soviet Congress", took advantage of his position to embezzle public funds, open roads privately, and abscond with the money, eventually defecting to the enemy. Based on reports from the masses, the Central Workers' and Peasants' Procuratorate organized forces to quickly investigate and deal with this important case and found out Zuo Xiangyun's crime. On December 28, 1933, Mao Zedong presided over the standing meeting of the people's Committee of the Chinese Soviet Republic to discuss the corruption case of Zuo Xiangyun and the General Affairs Office. On January 4, 1934, the Central People's Committee announced the decision of the relevant personnel in the case. However, at this time someone came out to intercede. In this regard, Mao Zedong stressed that the judgment must be made in strict accordance with the provisions of the instruction on punishing corruption and waste, and demanded that the case be published in the Red China newspaper as a warning education material for the whole Soviet area; a trial meeting should be held to conduct a public trial of the case, so that the cadres and masses of the Soviet area can come to have a look and listen. On February 13, 1934, the public trial meeting of the case was held in the auditorium of the central government. According to the provisions of the instruction on punishing corruption and waste, the temporary Supreme Court sentenced Zuo Xiangyun to death, and two others were sentenced to six years' imprisonment and one year of hard labor respectively.
According to statistics, as of the spring of 1934, the Central Soviet Area had investigated and dealt with more than 200 corruption cases, which effectively cracked down on corrupt elements, sounded the anti-corruption alarm to the party and government cadres in the entire Soviet area, and established a clean, honest, and diligent government for the people., Effectively consolidated the Soviet regime.

Source: Learning Times