Patriotic Pledge

Artist: Suzhou Fine Arts Association

Year: 1 January 1951

Publisher: Suzhou City Committee for Protecting World Peace and Opposing American Imperial Aggression 

Size (mm): 380x534

Condition: good, yellowed newsprint, folded centre as issued, small repair to fold on rear, small tears and holes to margin, small loss to top-left corner

The beginning of the 1950s saw a focus on patriotic mobilisation, with many campaigns launched encouraging the population to commit to nationalist causes. The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and the Chinese effort to oppose the US imperialists also spurred the patriotic movements. Some of the main goals were the backing of government policies and decrees, supporting the people's army and volunteers in Korea, increasing production and opposing corruption - all with the aim of restoring the Chinese nation to a more prominent position in the world order, to be better able to fight US imperialism.

Text at bottom in yellow reads: aiguo de gongshangyejia tuanjieqilai, kuoda aiguo gongyue yundong, fandui touji, yongyue nashui! (Patriotic businessmen join together, expand the Patriotic Pledge Movement, oppose opportunism, enthusiastically pay taxes!)

Text on printed sheet in centre reads:

yi, gongxian yiqie liliang, zhiyuan Kang-Mei Yuan-Chao, baojiaweiguo, wei baowei shijie heping yi zhi xingdong.

(one, contribute every strength, support the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, protect our homes and defend our country, act together to protect world peace.)

er, jianshou gongzuo gangwei, baozheng jiji jingying, gaohao shengchan, zengqiang women de zhandou liliang.

(two, stand fast at your work posts, ensure positive management, make a good job of production, increase our battle strength.)

san, jianjue zhichi zhengfu zhengce faling, baozheng wending wujia, fandui tunji-juqi, raoluan shichang de yiqie bufa xingwei.

(three, stand firmly by government policy decrees, ensure prices remain steady, oppose hoarding and profiteering, disrupt every unlawful market behaviour.)

si, renqing diyou, jianding lichang, jiaqiang shishi xuexi, shi mei ge gongshangyezhe zai sixiang shang dui Meidi de qinlve zuixing, mingque renshi yu tigao jingti.

(four, clearly recognise friends and enemies, stand firm, increase study of current affairs, ensure all industrialists and businessmen are clearly aware and increasingly vigilant in thought concerning the aggressions and offences of the US.)

wu, yongyue nashui, queqie baozheng guojia caijing shouru.

(five, enthusiastically pay taxes, reliably safeguard the country's financial and economic income.)