CCP Central Committee Notice concerning Strengthening Propaganda and Ideology Work

(28 July 1989)

In the entire work of the Party, propaganda and ideological work occupy an extremely important position. In the last ten years, persistence in the Four Cardinal Principles has been insufficiently consistent, ideological and political work has been extremely weak, this sort of situation must attract high attention, and be determinedly changed. According to the spirit of the 4^th Plenum of the 13^th Party Congress, hereby, issues related to strengthening propaganda and ideology work are notified as follows:

Opinion concerning Unauthorized Reprinting Being Handled in Coordination by Publishing and Copyright Management Organs

All provincial, autonomous region, municipal and plan-listed city press and publications bureaus, copyright bureaus (offices)

On the basis of administrative publishing management regulations, publishing work units or non-publishing work units are prohibited to reprint books published by other persons without authorization.

Notice concerning Nationwide Publisher Rectification of Cooperative Punishing, Printing and Distribution Agency

Cooperative publishing is a new method that emerged during publishing reform, its original idea is using social forces to expand capital sources, and resolve the problem that academic works, and books in the areas of natural science and engineering technology are difficult to publish. This sort of method has, since trials in 1984, had a certain vigorous function in mitigating the difficulties of academic works. But also, not a few problems have arisen. Because of this, in June 1986, the State Publishing Bureau decided to provisionally cease cooperative publishing business, conduct investigation and rectification, and in May 1988, the Administration of Press and Publications published the “Some Opinions concerning Present Publishing House Reform”, which confirmed the function of cooperative publishing, printing and distribution agency in resolving the publication difficulties of academic works, and at the same time, in order to overcome abuses, put forward the requirement to strengthen management. In January 1989, the Administration of Press and Publications also published the “Supplementary Provisions concerning Cooperative Publishing, Printing and Distribution Agency”.

Urgent Notice concerning Investigating and Rectifying the Book Market

At present, some books and periodicals violating the Four Cardinal Principles and propagating bourgeois liberalization ideologies are widely circulating, obscene and sexual publications and publications propagating feudal superstition, murder and violence flood the book market, illegal publishing activities remain rampant, gravely harming the construction of a Socialist spiritual civilization, and hamper social stability. Rapidly reversing this sort of situation is a first-rate important work for press and publications management departments at present. Recently, a number of provincial, autonomous region and municipal people’s government, when implementing the spirit of the 4th Plenum, have charged press and publications management departments and relevant departments with conducting inspection and rectification of the book and periodical market, and effects have been achieved. In order to implement the spirit of the 4th Plenum in the entire country, realistically do the inspection and rectification work of the book and periodical market well, the following matters are notified in relation to relevant issues: