On the Draft Constitution of the People’s Republic of China

Speech by Mao Zedong at the Thirtieth Session of the Central People's Government Council on June 14, 1954. It was included in the Volume 6 of Collected Works of Mao Zedong.

The Thirtieth Meeting of the Central People's Government Committee mainly discussed the Draft Constitution of the People's Republic of China. The meeting was presided over by Mao Zedong. 21 people, including Soong Ching Ling, Li Jishen and Zhang Lan, spoke and put forward their opinions and suggestions. The Conference unanimously adopted the “Draft Constitution of the People's Republic of China” and the resolution on the promulgation of the “Draft Constitution of the People's Republic of China”.

After the Draft Constitution was passed, Mao Zedong delivered a speech on the “Draft Constitution of the People’s Republic of China”. The speech explained the characteristics of the Draft Constitution. Mao Zedong said: "This Draft Constitution has won general praise and support precisely for these two reasons: it correctly and properly sums up past experience, and it correctly and properly integrates principle and flexibility.”

The analysis of the reasons why the Draft Constitution "wins the hearts of the people" actually shows the characteristics of the Draft Constitution. The speech explained the function of the Constitution. Mao Zedong said: "When promulgated, our Draft Constitution will win the unanimous support of the whole people and enhance their enthusiasm. An organization must have rules, and so must a state. A constitution is a set of general rules, it is the fundamental law. To codify the principles of people's democracy and socialism in the form of a fundamental law, in the form of the constitution, so that there will be a clear course before the people of the whole country, and they will feel sure they have a clear, definite and correct path to follow—this will heighten their enthusiasm. "

The speech defined the nature of the constitution. Mao Zedong said: "This constitution of ours is of a socialist type, but it is not yet a completely socialist constitution. It is a constitution for the transitional period.”

The speech reflected Mao Zedong's role in the process of drafting the constitution, enhanced the people's understanding of the Draft Constitution, and promoted the three-month nationwide discussion on the constitution since the publication of the Draft Constitution on June 15. On September 20, the First Session of the First National People's Congress officially adopted the “Constitution of the People’s Republic of China”.