The Common Program of the People's Republic of China 1949-1954

Preamble and Chapter 1


The acceptance and fulfilment of the Common Program are the important tasks of the CPPCC. This document consists of a preamble and 7 chapters;
1. General principles
2. Organs of state
3. Military system
4. Economic policy
5. Cultural and Education program
6. Policy towards nationalities (minorities)
7. Foreign policy.
The document can be considered as an action plan for the near future and "…was supposed to present the new rulers of China as moderately transformative and politically inclusive." and the program defines in its preamble clearly who can play a role in this future. "... the state power of the people's democratic united front composed of the Chinese working class, peasantry, petty bourgeoisie, national bourgeoisie and other patriotic democratic elements, based on the alliance of workers and peasants and led by the working class."
In other words, a part of the people is explicitly excluded, they are "...the running-dogs of imperialism, the landlord class and bureaucrat-bourgeoisie, as well as the representatives of these classes, the GuoMinDang reactionaries and their accomplices."
As the CCP took control over China’s cities, it was confronted with several social order problems. "Two major groups of targets were identified. The first was counter-revolutionaries, which included remnant Guomindang (‘KMT’) troops and supporters, secret societies, criminal gangs and bandits...The second group of offenders was those committing the ‘remnant crimes that were prevalent from the old society’, such as growing, selling and using narcotic drugs; gambling; prostitution; and kidnapping and selling women and children.5 A large transient population, vagrants, drug addicts and abandoned children also seriously undermined social order."

Article 1

Article 8
Duties
See Chapter 3 and Chapter 4
Article 9
Nationalities
  • Introduction
  • Notes Documents
  • See Chapter 6
    Article 10


    Chapter 1 of Common Program