A Brief Discussion on Mao Zedong Thought
Cheng Zhixing
Summary: Mao Zedong Thought (abbreviated as Maoism) is Marxism-Leninism adapted to the era of imperialist decline and socialist victory. Its core concept is the people (i.e., the masses), who, in a class society, necessarily have enemies. Through investigation, research, class analysis, contradiction analysis, and seeking truth from facts, one can identify the people and their enemies. Its fundamental proposition (i.e., the fundamental purpose) is to serve the people, mainly the workers, peasants, and soldiers. To do so, it is necessary to overthrow the main enemies of the people. This is determined by the nature and purpose of the Communist Party. The implementation of party building, united front, and armed struggle aims to overthrow reactionary regimes, establish the dictatorship of the proletariat, eliminate private ownership, establish socialist public ownership, carry out continuous revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat, and, after revisionism comes to power, learn from Cai E’s rebellion, rebuild scientific socialism to serve the people. Its components include: Maoist philosophy, Maoist party-building theory, Maoist military science, New Democratic theory, socialist revolution theory, socialist construction theory, Maoist political economy, Maoist diplomacy, the theory of continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat, and the theory of socialist re-revolution.
- Definition of Mao Zedong Thought
There are roughly three definitions of Mao Zedong Thought (abbreviated as Maoism): the first directly defines Mao Zedong Thought (including the theory of continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat) as Maoism; the second defines Maoism as the theory of New Democratic Revolution, socialist revolution and construction, and the theory of continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat; the third only defines the theory of continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat as Maoism. The so-called In a class society, there must inevitably be the opposition to the people, that is, the enemies of the people. Where there are people, there must be enemies of the people. This is an objective fact, independent of people’s will.
What is a class? Lenin pointed out: “The so-called classes are such large groups, which occupy different positions in a historically specific social production system, have different relations to the means of production (most of which are explicitly stipulated by law), play different roles in social labor organization, and thus acquire different ways and extents of controlling social wealth. The so-called class is such a group, which, due to its different position in a certain social economic structure, can possess the labor of another group.” [6] A society with classes is a class society. In a class society, the people are the groups engaged in labor, and the enemies of the people are the groups that “possess the labor of another group (that is, the people’s)” (i.e., the labor results). This is the root cause of class struggle and an irreconcilable one.
Chairman Mao pointed out that the enemies of the Chinese people are:
(First Chinese Civil War period) “It is known that all warlords, bureaucrats, comprador classes, large landowners, and the reactionary intellectuals attached to them are our enemies.” [2]
(Second Chinese Civil War period) “The main enemies of the Chinese revolutionary war are imperialism and feudal forces.” [7]
(Period of Anti-Japanese War) “The Chinese Communist Party is always prepared to join hands with these Kuomintang members, organize a solid national united front, and oppose the greatest enemy of the whole nation—the Japanese imperialism.” [8]
“To correctly understand the contradictions between enemies and us and within the people, we must first clarify what is the people and what is the enemy. The concept of the people varies in different countries and at different historical periods. In our country’s case, during the Anti-Japanese War, all classes, strata, and social groups resisting Japan belong to the scope of the people; Japanese imperialism, traitors, and pro-Japanese elements are enemies of the people. During the Liberation War, U.S. imperialism and its running dogs—bureaucratic bourgeoisie, landlord class, and the Kuomintang reactionaries representing these classes—are enemies of the people; all classes, strata, and social groups opposing these enemies belong to the scope of the people. In the current stage, during socialist construction, all classes, strata, and social groups that support and participate in socialist construction belong to the people; all social forces and groups opposing socialist revolution and damaging or sabotaging socialist construction are enemies of the people.” [5]
(Period of socialist construction) “Why didn’t Lenin stop? After the democratic revolution, workers and poor peasants continued their revolution. But some Party members did not want to advance, some retreated and opposed the revolution. Why? Because they became officials and wanted to protect their interests. They had good houses, cars, high salaries, and servants—more powerful than capitalists. When the socialist revolution reached their heads, during collectivization, some within the Party opposed it, criticizing bourgeois legal rights. In the socialist revolution, they do not know where the bourgeoisie is; it is within the Communist Party, among those in power following the capitalist road. The road-capitalists are still walking.” [9]
(Period of reform and opening up) “What would happen if our country did not establish a socialist economy? It would turn into a revisionist state, effectively an bourgeois state, and the dictatorship of the proletariat would transform into the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, and it would be reactionary, fascist dictatorship.” [10] “When revisionism comes to power, it means the bourgeoisie comes to power.” [11]
Therefore, enemies of the people are also divided by country and period, and into major and minor enemies.
(3) How to identify the people and enemies of the people?
Investigation and research, class analysis, contradiction analysis, and seeking truth from facts.
Chairman Mao pointed out: “No investigation, no right to speak… Investigation is like pregnancy in October; solving problems is like giving birth in one day. Investigation is the solution to problems… Socioeconomic investigation is to obtain correct class estimates, then to formulate correct struggle strategies.” [12] Based on personal experience, he summarized investigation techniques: “(1) Hold investigation meetings for discussion; (2) Who should be involved in investigation meetings?; (3) Is it better to have many or few people?; (4) Set investigation topics; (5) Be personally involved; (6) Go deep; (7) Keep records yourself.” [12]
He also revealed: “The process of understanding begins with contact with external affairs, which belongs to the sensory stage. The second step is to organize and transform the sensory materials, which belongs to the stage of concepts, judgments, and reasoning. Only when the sensory materials are rich (not fragmented or incomplete) and consistent with reality (not illusions) can we create correct concepts and reasoning based on such materials… To fully reflect the whole of things, their essence, and internal laws, we must go through thinking, transforming rich sensory materials into concepts and theories, moving from rough to refined, false to true, from surface to depth, and from appearance to essence. … When grasping the laws of the world, we must return them to the practice of transforming the world, applying them to production, class struggle, national struggle, and scientific experiments.” [13]
“The only way to understand the situation is through social investigation, examining the vivid conditions of various classes in society… Plan to focus on several cities and villages, using Marxist basic viewpoints and class analysis methods, to conduct several thorough investigations, which is the most fundamental way to understand the situation.” [12]
“Without specific analysis, we cannot understand the characteristics of any contradiction. We must always remember Lenin’s words: conduct specific analysis of specific things… Studying the various unbalanced situations of contradictions, the main and non-main contradictions, and the aspects of the main and non-main contradictions, is one of the important methods for revolutionary parties to correctly determine their political and military strategies. It is a fundamental law of nature and society, the law of the unity of opposites, and also the fundamental law of thinking. … When studying the particularity and relativity of contradictions, pay attention to the differences between contradictions and their aspects; when studying the universality and struggle of contradictions, pay attention to the differences in various forms of struggle.” [14]
He also provided a new scientific explanation of the idiom “seeking truth from facts”: “‘Truth’ refers to everything objectively existing; ‘is’ refers to the internal connection of objective things, i.e., lawfulness; ‘seeking’ means our research. We should start from the actual situation at home and abroad, within provinces and regions, and derive their inherent, not fabricated, laws—finding the internal connections of surrounding events as our guide for action.” [15]
Core proposition (i.e., fundamental purpose): Serve the people
Almost all propositions of Maoism revolve around the core proposition (i.e., fundamental purpose), which is “serve the people,” more precisely, “serve the people wholeheartedly.”
(1) The meaning of serving the people
The core proposition is the fundamental purpose: to serve the people. [16] Serving the people mainly means serving workers, peasants, and soldiers, seeking their interests, and therefore must overthrow the main enemies of the people. This is the meaning of serving the people, which is also the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism. [15]
(2) Why serve the people?
This is determined by the nature and purpose of the Communist Party. Marx and Engels explicitly defined the nature and purpose of the Communist Party in the Communist Manifesto:
"The communists are not a different party opposed to other workers’ parties. They have no interests different from those of the entire proletariat. They do not propose any special principles to shape the movement of the proletariat. The only difference between communists and other proletarian parties is: on the one hand, in the struggles of proletarians of different nations, communists emphasize and insist on the common interests of the entire proletariat regardless of nationality; on the other hand, at each stage of the struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, communists always represent the interests of the entire movement… The communists can be summarized in one sentence: abolish private property… The communists do not hide their views and intentions. They openly declare that their goal can only be achieved by violence overthrowing all existing social systems. Let the ruling class tremble before the communist revolution. The proletariat has nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world, unite!”[17]
Chairman Mao clearly pointed out:
“Our responsibility is to be responsible to the people. Every word, every action, every policy must serve the interests of the people. If there are mistakes, they must be corrected, this is called being responsible to the people.”[16]
“The people rely on us to organize them. The reactionaries in China rely on us to organize the people to overthrow them. If you do not fight against reactionary things, they will not fall. It’s like sweeping the floor—if the broom doesn’t reach, the dust won’t disappear by itself.”[18]
“Enemies will not disappear on their own. Whether it is China’s reactionaries or the invading forces of American imperialism in China, they will not step down from the stage of history on their own.”[19]
“In the view of Marxist-Leninists, there is no non-class, super-class party. All parties are class-based. Party character is the concentrated expression of class character.”[20]
“Any bourgeois party claims to be a party for all people, a state for all people. This is the slogan of the bourgeoisie. Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek also said this; the American reactionaries also claim to be for all people. Japan is the same, and monopolist capital claims to represent all people. Only communists never hide their views, never claim to represent all people. They represent the proletariat and the working people, not the bourgeoisie, and not even the petty bourgeoisie. They represent the proletariat, guiding urban and rural petty bourgeoisie towards socialism.”[21]
“The people, only the people, are the driving force behind world history.”[22]
Any party that only claims to serve the people in words but in practice stubbornly restores capitalist private ownership, uses the police and courts to protect capitalist interests, and brutally exploits, oppresses, enslaves, deceives, and suppresses the broad masses of workers, peasants, and petty bourgeoisie, regardless of whatever title of Communist Party they wear, is nothing but a false or pseudo-Communist party!
(3) How to serve the people?
Class struggle, proletarian dictatorship, socialist public ownership, continuous revolution under proletarian dictatorship, and learning from Cai E’s rebellion after the rise of revisionism.
When the people are in deep water and fire, suffering from exploitation, oppression, slavery, deception, and suppression, conduct extensive investigations, class analysis, contradiction analysis, and seek truth from facts; propose correct political, military, and cultural lines; unite, organize, and lead the people; establish the Communist Party and the army under its leadership; primarily rely on armed struggle, supplemented by mass movements, street struggles, and parliamentary struggles; establish revolutionary bases and united front; overthrow reactionaries and invaders; seize state power; establish proletarian dictatorship; achieve people’s liberation; then eliminate private ownership, consolidate proletarian dictatorship, establish and improve socialist public ownership, carry out socialist construction, continue revolution under proletarian dictatorship, overthrow the bourgeoisie, support the world’s people in anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggles; when revisionism comes to power, the people suffer twice, and endure hardships twice, learn from Cai E’s rebellion, and rebuild scientific socialism under new social conditions.
- What is class struggle?
Lenin pointed out: “What is class struggle? It is the struggle of one part of the people against another, of the unprivileged, oppressed, and working masses against privilege, oppressors, and parasites, of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie.”[23]
Chairman Mao said:
“Class struggle, some classes win, some classes are eliminated. This is history, this is thousands of years of civilization. Explaining history from this perspective is called historical materialism; the opposite view is historical idealism.”[24]
- How to conduct class struggle?
(1) Contradictions of different nature can only be resolved with different methods.
Chairman Mao from a philosophical height pointed out:
“Contradictions of different nature can only be resolved with different methods. For example, the contradiction between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie is resolved through socialist revolution; the contradiction between the people and feudalism is resolved through democratic revolution; the contradiction between colonies and imperialism is resolved through national revolutionary war;… contradictions within the Communist Party are resolved through criticism and self-criticism;… resolving different contradictions with different methods is a principle that Marxist-Leninists must strictly follow.”[14]
(2) Workers, peasants, and soldiers movement
The workers’ movement is led by communists, through secret, semi-open, and open investigations, propaganda, night schools, cooperatives, clubs, etc., uniting advanced and active workers, then secretly establishing and leading trade unions (including workers’ patrols), uniting more workers; when conditions are ripe, demands are made to capitalists for wage increases, better conditions, firing bad bosses, strikebreakers, etc. If the capitalists refuse, strikes are held, seeking support from all sectors of society, followed by labor-capital negotiations, maintaining strikes, and finally ending with either victory or defeat. Mao said:
“(a) The purpose of labor unions is not only to unite workers to obtain better wages and shorter working hours through strikes but also to cultivate class consciousness, to unify the entire class for the fundamental interests of the entire class. This is the core purpose, and I hope workers’ unions pay special attention. (b) The organization should follow Western union models, with representatives elected to full powers to the executive committee. Old guild-like organizations are not good; having too many staff, too many branches, and divided powers are also bad. (c) Unions are workers’ organizations, so workers should support and sustain unions, and prepare strike funds and election funds.”[25] and propose the strategy of “the army of the oppressed will surely win”[26].
Peasant and soldier movements are similar, but with different methods. In peasant movements, “organize to overthrow local tyrants and landlords, all power to the peasant associations.” “Organize peasants into peasant associations, politically attack landlords, economically attack landlords, overthrow feudal rule of local tyrants, establish peasant armed forces, overthrow the local officials’ power, and abolish clan and land gods’ divine rights, promote political propaganda, ban gambling, opium, and other vices, fight bandits, and carry out cultural, cooperative, road-building, and dam projects.”[27] Soldiers’ movements mainly involve uniting advanced elements within the old army for mutiny.
(3) Mass line, protracted people’s war (see section four (3))
The fundamental purpose is for the masses, thus implementing the “mass line”: “All correct leadership must come from the masses, go to the masses. That is, gather the opinions of the masses (scattered, unsystematic opinions), research, transform them into systematic opinions, then go back to the masses for propaganda and explanation, turn them into the opinions of the masses, let the masses adhere to them, see them in action, and test whether these opinions are correct in the masses’ actions. Then again, gather from the masses, and go back to the masses for persistence. This cycle repeats infinitely, becoming more correct, vivid, and rich each time. This is Marxist epistemology.”[28] “Only by combining main force units and local units, regular armies and guerrillas, armed and unarmed masses, can the people’s war defeat enemies many times stronger than itself.”[29]
(4) Encircling the cities from the countryside
Chairman Mao Zedong insightfully pointed out: “The central task and highest form of war and revolution is the armed seizure of power, and war is the way to solve problems. This revolutionary principle of Marxism-Leninism is universally correct, whether in China or abroad, it is all correct. … The characteristics of China are: not an independent democratic country, but a semi-feudal, semi-colonial country; internally lacking democratic institutions, oppressed by feudal systems; externally lacking national independence, oppressed by imperialism. Therefore, there is no parliamentary system or legal rights for organized workers to strike. Here, the task of the Communist Party is fundamentally not to enter insurrection and war through long legal struggles, nor to occupy cities first and then the countryside, but to take the opposite path.”[30]
“From 1927 to now, our focus has been on the countryside, gathering strength there, encircling the cities from the countryside, and then taking the cities.” [31] “The experience of the Chinese revolution is to establish rural base areas (centered on ‘fighting landlords, distributing land’ and establishing workers’ and peasants’ revolutionary governments), encircle the cities from the countryside, and finally seize the cities.”[32]
“The superstructure mainly refers to the state power and the state apparatus such as the army, police, courts, etc., as well as ideological aspects. The superstructure is to protect the economic base. Therefore, the first step is to use violence to seize and smash these main parts of the state apparatus.”[33]
Thus, only through violent revolution and armed struggle can the main enemies of the people be thoroughly defeated, and on this basis, “eliminate private ownership”[17]. “The strategy of encircling the cities from the countryside” embodies the military principles of ‘avoiding the strong and attacking the weak’ and ‘replacing the old with the new from the weak points,’ which conforms to the general law that ‘the replacement of old systems begins from their weak points.’[34]
(5) Party Building, United Front, Armed Struggle
Chairman Mao summarized in long-term revolutionary practice:
“The Chinese Communist Party, armed with Marxist-Leninist theory and thought, has developed a new working style among the Chinese people, mainly a style that combines theory and practice, closely links with the masses, and practices self-criticism.”[22]
“Policy and strategy are the life of the Party.”[35] “Unite all who can be united.”[36] “Resolutely implement the political line of ‘developing progressive forces, striving for middle forces, isolating stubborn forces.’”[37] “Utilize contradictions, strive for the majority, oppose the minority, and break each one.”[38]
“A disciplined Party armed with Marxist-Leninist theory, adopting self-criticism, and closely connected with the masses. An army led by such a Party. A united front of various revolutionary classes and factions led by such a Party. These three are our main weapons to defeat the enemy.”[39]
“The correctness of the ideological and political line is decisive for everything. If the Party’s line is correct, then everything is possible; no one can have guns without guns, no power without power. If the line is incorrect, even with power, it can be lost. The line is the guiding principle, and when the line is upheld, everything is clear.”[40]
- Establishing and consolidating the dictatorship of the proletariat
(1) How to establish and consolidate the dictatorship of the proletariat?
Marx pointed out: “(1) The existence of classes is only related to a certain historical stage of productive development; (2) Class struggle will inevitably lead to the dictatorship of the proletariat; (3) This dictatorship is merely a transitional phase to eliminate all classes and enter a classless society…”[41]
Chairman Mao pointed out:
“What are the people? In China, at the current stage, they are the working class, the peasantry, the petty bourgeoisie in cities, and the national bourgeoisie. Under the leadership of the working class and the Communist Party, these classes unite, form their own state, elect their own government, and implement dictatorship and dictatorship over the imperialist running dogs, landlords, bureaucratic bourgeoisie, and their representatives such as the Kuomintang reactionaries and their accomplices, suppressing them, only allowing them to behave properly and not to speak or act wildly. If they speak or act wildly, they are immediately banned and sanctioned. Internally among the people, democratic systems are implemented, with freedoms of speech, assembly, and association. The right to vote is only given to the people, not to reactionaries. Combining these two aspects—the democracy within the people and the dictatorship over reactionaries—is the people’s democratic dictatorship.”[39]
“The basis of the people’s democratic dictatorship is the alliance of the working class, peasantry, and urban petty bourgeoisie, mainly the alliance of workers and peasants, … The people’s democratic dictatorship requires the leadership of the working class.”[39]
“Since Chiang Kai-shek’s reactionary government betrayed the motherland, colluded with imperialists, and launched counterrevolutionary wars, the whole nation has been in dire straits. Fortunately, our People’s Liberation Army, with the support of the entire people, has fought bravely to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty, protect the lives and property of the people, alleviate their suffering, and fight for their rights, defeating reactionary armies and overthrowing the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang government. Now, the people’s liberation war has achieved a basic victory, and most of the people have been liberated. On this basis, representatives from democratic parties, people’s organizations, the People’s Liberation Army, various regions, ethnic groups, overseas Chinese, and other patriotic democratic elements have convened the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, representing the will of the people, drafting the Organic Law of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China, electing Mao Zedong as Chairman of the Central People’s Government, Zhu De, … Song Qingling, … as members, forming the Central People’s Government Committee, and proclaiming the founding of the People’s Republic of China.”[42]
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Eliminate private ownership, establish, consolidate, and develop socialist public ownership (see sections four (five) and four (six))
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Continue the revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat (see section four (nine))
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How to defeat false Communist and bureaucratic comprador traitor forces? (Section four (ten) Socialist Re-Revolution Theory)
Chairman Mao explicitly instructed:
“Yuan Shikai’s attempt to become emperor provoked a rebellion by Cai E. If the central government produces warlords or revisionists, you can rebel.”[43]
“Deny the basic principles of Marxism and the universal truth of Marxism—that is revisionism. Revisionism is a bourgeois ideology. Revisionists deny the difference between socialism and capitalism, and the difference between the dictatorship of the proletariat and the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. What they advocate is not socialist路线 but capitalist路线 in practice.”[44]
“From now on, we must speak of class struggle every year, every month, at meetings, at party congresses—every time we meet, we must speak of it—to keep a clear Marxist-Leninist mind.”[45]
“Take class struggle as the main line.”[46] “Never forget class struggle.”[47]
“One of the most important experiences of the international communist movement is that whether the revolution can develop and succeed depends on whether there is a proletarian revolutionary party. A revolutionary party must exist. A revolutionary party built according to Marxist-Leninist revolutionary theory and style. A revolutionary party capable of combining Marxist-Leninist universal truths with the specific practice of the revolution in its own country. A revolutionary party that is good at leading and closely connecting with the masses. A revolutionary party capable of坚持真理, 改正错误, and conducting批评和自我批评. Only such a revolutionary party can lead the proletariat and the broad masses to defeat imperialism and its running dogs, achieve the thorough victory of the national democratic revolution, and the victory of the socialist revolution.”[20]
Therefore, re-establishing a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist revolutionary party (such as the Chinese Communist Party (Mao Zedong Thought)) is the central task of contemporary Marxist-Leninists-Maoists.
Part Four: Composition of Maoism
The specific components of Maoism include: Maoist philosophy (“On Contradiction,” “On Practice,” “Where Do Correct Ideas Come From,” etc.), Maoist Party-building (“Selected Works of Mao Zedong” five volumes), Maoist military science (“Strategic Issues of Guerrilla Warfare against Japan,” “On Protracted War,” “On War and Strategy,” “Selected Military Writings of Mao Zedong” (six volumes), “Mao Zedong Military Collection” six volumes), New Democratic Revolution Theory (“New Democratic”), socialist revolution and construction theory, Maoist political economy, Maoist diplomacy, the theory of continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat, and the theory of socialist re-revolution (“Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 5, “Mao Zedong Collection” eight volumes, “Long Live Mao Zedong Thought,” “Mao Zedong Manuscripts Since the Founding of the People’s Republic,” etc.) among ten major parts. Here is just an overview.
(1) Maoist Philosophy
Summary of Chairman Prachanda of the original Nepal Communist Party (Maoist):
“1. Establishing the law of contradiction as the core of dialectical materialism and the fundamental law of dialectics in all fields of natural science, social science, and human cognition. The analysis of the universality of contradiction and the process and importance of determining the main contradiction of things has elevated the understanding of dialectics to a new height. Establishing the basic law of contradiction plays an obvious and crucial role in clarifying the strategy and tactics of revolution.
2. Taking class struggle, production struggle, and scientific experiments as sources of knowledge, and analyzing the process of elevating perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge and the relationship between theory and practice, has made significant contributions to epistemology.
3. In the struggle against revisionism, the profound analysis and application of the main aspect of dialectics—dividing things into two—has provided revolutionary fighters with a sharp weapon for fighting revisionists.
4. In the struggle against bourgeois ideology of ‘productive forces theory’ and ‘economism’ (which is based on a metaphysical and one-sided understanding of the relationship between the economic base and superstructure), the analysis that ideology and superstructure can play a decisive role under certain specific conditions exposed the bourgeois falsehood.
5. The necessity of making philosophy a powerful weapon outside the library and study, and the practical realization of this process, laid the foundation for dialectical materialist philosophy to become a strong material force.” [48]
(2) Maoist Party Building Studies
“One of the most important experiences of the international communist movement is: whether revolution can develop and succeed depends on whether there is a proletarian revolutionary party. There must be a revolutionary party. It must be established according to Marxist-Leninist revolutionary theory and style. It must be good at combining the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the specific practice of the revolution in its own country. It must be good at closely linking leadership with the broad masses of people. It must be able to uphold the truth, correct errors, and be good at criticism and self-criticism. Only such a revolutionary party can lead the proletariat and the broad masses to defeat imperialism and its running dogs, achieve a thorough victory in the national democratic revolution, and win the victory of the socialist revolution.” [20]
Emphasizing “thought enters the party,” and conducting a “rectification movement,” which is “a universal Marxist education movement,” to achieve “unprecedented unity in thought, politics, and organization (not complete unity), but steady and large-step progress.” [49]
“The method of rectification is criticism and self-criticism, based on facts and reasoning. The goal of rectification is to guide the struggle in the right political direction, improve ideological level, correct work shortcomings, unite the broad masses, isolate and divide bourgeois rightists and all anti-socialist elements. … and expel them to purify the party organization.” [50]
“Rectification has four stages: release, oppose, rectify, and learn. It is a large-scale debate, counterattack on rightists, rectification, and finally learning Marxism-Leninism, with gentle and careful meetings, criticism, and self-criticism.” [51]
Revolutionary parties in base areas and liberated zones engage in open activities, while in enemy-occupied and Kuomintang-controlled areas, they must “conceal capable personnel, long-term hide, accumulate strength, and wait for the right opportunity.” [52]
(3) Maoist Military Science
First, establish the proletarian nature of the army. Whether it is the Red Army at the beginning or later the Eighth Route Army, New Fourth Army, and People’s Liberation Army, Chairman Mao clearly defined this army as the people’s army, fighting for the interests of workers and peasants. “The Chinese Red Army is an armed group executing revolutionary political tasks,” “In addition to fighting to eliminate enemy military forces, it also bears major tasks such as propaganda, organizing, arming, helping establish revolutionary governments, and even building the Communist Party.” [53]
Secondly, “the soldier and the people are the foundation of victory,” “The greatest power of war lies in the masses,” [54] insisting on “People’s War”—“Recognizing that only the combination of main force units and local units, regular armies and guerrillas, armed and unarmed masses, can defeat a much stronger enemy.” [29] “Mobilizing the entire population creates a vast ocean that traps the enemy, compensates for weapon shortages, and overcomes all war difficulties.” [54] Establishing “revolutionary bases” [55], and implementing “rural encirclement of cities” [32].
Third, implement military democracy such as “Party commands the gun” [30], “Three Main Disciplines and Eight Points for Attention” [56], “Officers and soldiers are of one mind” [57], “Soldier committees” [58], “Party branches in companies” [59].
Then, “strategically despise the enemy, tactically emphasize the enemy” [7], “avoid unprepared battles, avoid battles without confidence” [60]. Adopt a strategy of protracted war; tactical methods include quick decisive battles and annihilation battles [54]. Use strategies like avoiding strong points and attacking weak points, winning with fewer troops, and tactics such as attacking the enemy’s weak points with strength and winning with numbers. The most prominent are the sixteen-character formula of guerrilla warfare [7] and ten military principles [60].
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“Sixteen-character formula: Enemy advances, I retreat; enemy stays, I disturb; enemy fatigues, I attack; enemy withdraws, I pursue.”
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“Ten military principles:
(1) First attack dispersed and isolated enemies, then attack concentrated and strong enemies.
(2) First seize small and medium cities and rural areas, then seize large cities.
(3) Focus on destroying the enemy’s living forces, not on conservative or capturing cities and territories. Capturing cities and territories is a result of destroying the enemy’s living forces, often requiring multiple attempts.
(4) Concentrate absolute advantage forces (two, three, four times, sometimes even five or six times the enemy’s forces), encircle the enemy from all sides, aim for total annihilation, and prevent escape. In special cases, use annihilative strikes against the enemy, focusing all efforts on the enemy’s front and flanks to achieve partial annihilation and defeat.
(5) Avoid battles without preparation or confidence; ensure readiness and a chance of victory.
(6) Promote brave fighting, sacrifice, fatigue resistance, and continuous combat.
(7) Aim to annihilate the enemy in movement, and also focus on attacking enemy strongholds and cities.
(8) In city assaults, seize weakly defended enemy strongholds and cities; for moderately defended ones, seize when conditions permit; for well-defended ones, wait until conditions are ripe.
(9) Capture all enemy weapons and most personnel to replenish own forces. The main source of manpower and resources is the front line.
(10) Make good use of intervals between campaigns to rest and train troops, keeping rest periods short to prevent the enemy from gaining respite.”
(4) New Democratic Revolution Theory
The key difference between New Democratic and Old Democratic revolutions is that the former is led by the proletariat (through the Chinese Communist Party led by Chairman Mao) to overthrow the rule of bureaucratic comprador bourgeoisie and landlord classes. “The historical process of China’s revolution must be divided into two steps: the first is the democratic revolution, and the second is the socialist revolution. These are two different revolutionary processes,” “No room for a bourgeois dictatorship stage.” It elaborates in detail on politics, economy, and culture: “The state system—united dictatorship of all revolutionary classes (later called ‘United Front’). The political system—democratic centralism. This is the political system of New Democracy, and this is the New Democratic Republic.”; “China’s economy must follow the path of ‘moderate capitalism’ and ‘land to the tiller,’ and cannot be ‘a few people’s private property,’ nor allow a few capitalists and landlords to control national livelihood, nor establish a capitalist society like in Europe and America, nor revert to the old semi-feudal society.” “Such an economy is the economy of New Democracy.”; “The culture of New Democracy is, in one sentence, a culture led by the proletariat, opposing imperialism and feudalism, and serving the masses.” [61] That is, “building new leadership while overthrowing the old leadership.” [62]
(5) Socialist Revolution Theory
First, destroy the imperialist, feudal, and bureaucratic capitalist private ownership shields from a political and military perspective. Because “power comes from the barrel of a gun” [30], “the central task and highest form of revolutionary war is to seize power by force, and war is the solution to problems” [30].
Conduct more than three years of liberation war, especially the “Three Major Campaigns,” to eliminate the main forces of the Kuomintang reactionaries led by Chiang Kai-shek. Connect all liberated areas into one. March to the capital Nanjing, overthrow Chiang Kai-shek’s reactionary rule.
Secondly, from an economic perspective, especially in terms of ownership, eliminate imperialist, feudal, and capitalist private ownership, realizing the Communist Party’s goal of “eliminating private ownership” [17].
Establish a nationwide proletarian dictatorship; carry out “three large-scale movements”: “resist US aggression, aid Korea, land reform, and suppress counterrevolutionaries” [63]: invited to send troops to Korea, drive the invaders led by American imperialism back to the 38th parallel from the Yalu River, thoroughly crush US imperialist attempts to overthrow the socialist states of North Korea and China; in rural areas, implement land redistribution after land redistribution, and fully free land distribution, thoroughly eliminate feudal private ownership; eliminate remaining reactionary armies, secret agents, bandits, tyrants, gangsters, and black and yellow gambling, drug trafficking, theft, fraud, and robbery forces of the old society; carry out nationwide literacy campaigns, enabling the vast majority of people to acquire basic literacy skills. Implement the “general line and general task during the transitional period,” which is to basically realize national industrialization and socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts, and capitalist industry and commerce within a relatively long period [64]. In cities, implement the “confiscation of bureaucratic capital” [65], using “redeeming” and “public-private partnership” [66] methods to eliminate private enterprises (to reduce resistance). At the same time, carry out the “Three-Antis (anti-corruption, anti-waste, anti-bureaucracy) and Five-Anti” campaigns [67], executing major corrupt officials like Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan.
(6) Socialist Construction Theory
Socialist construction refers to the planned economic development under the dictatorship of the proletariat to establish and improve socialist public ownership (better called common ownership), with the core being the establishment and improvement of all-people ownership and collective ownership (transitioning towards the former), specifically in the construction of socialism in agriculture, industry, and national defense.
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Based on the completion of the “Three Major Transformations,” establish a scientific socialist ownership system mainly based on all-people ownership (state-owned enterprises entrusted by the state), supplemented by collective ownership and a small amount of individual ownership. In rural areas, through “mutual aid teams” and “cooperatives,” finally establish “people’s communes” based on “teams with three levels of ownership” [68], enabling the peasant class, which made up the majority of the population at the time, to overcome the difficulties of small-scale peasant economy, embark on the road of socialist collective ownership, and begin the transition towards all-people ownership (specifically state farms) and rural industrialization. Under the huge advantage of concentrating manpower and material resources in people’s communes, “Learn from Dazhai in agriculture” [40], carry out large-scale water conservancy and farmland construction, achieving great success. In cities, focus on industrial development, “Learn from Daqing in industry” [40], emphasizing heavy industry while also developing light industry and agriculture; balance the layout of coastal and inland industries. Achieve brilliant results, transforming New China from only having “foreign nails and foreign fire” to becoming the world’s sixth-largest industrial power. In terms of national defense, successfully develop “Two Bombs and One Satellite” [69], establish formal navy, army, air force, Second Artillery (rocket force), and militia, building a strong and powerful defense force for the socialist state.
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Implement the “Five-Day, Eight-Hour Workday” [70] and the “free education, medical care, housing, pension, and work distribution” [71] five free benefits, ensuring people’s stable and happy life; implement the “Ansteel Constitution”—democratic management, workers participate in management, reform unreasonable rules and regulations, and establish a system of “two participations and one reform” involving workers, leaders, and technicians [72], safeguarding workers’ rights to manage enterprises.
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Chairman Mao profoundly pointed out: “The greatest power is managing the country.” “Here (referring to the Soviet Union’s ‘Political Economy Textbook’—author’s note) when talking about the rights enjoyed by Soviet workers, it does not mention the rights of workers to manage the state, military, various enterprises, and cultural education. In fact, this is the greatest and most fundamental right of workers under the socialist system. Without this right, the rights to work, rest, education, etc., of workers are not guaranteed.” “The people themselves must manage the superstructure” [73].
(7) Maoist Political Economy
Similarly, quoting the summary of Prachanda, Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist):
“1. In this field, the analysis of bureaucratic capitalism is a major discovery. The analysis of bureaucratic capitalism in oppressed nations—monopoly capitalism combined with feudal plunder as agents of the people—exposes the inhuman nature of imperialism appearing in the form of neo-colonialism and also points out the revolutionary targets of oppressed nations. Only through destroying bureaucratic capitalism and confiscating their assets can imperialism be expelled from oppressed countries and the foundation of socialism be established. The historical importance of this conclusion is very clear.
2. It laid a solid foundation for the basic principles of socialist economy. Development of socialist economy can only be firmly promoted through the initiative of the masses, not through bourgeois commands, by propagating correct economic policies among the people. Along with this view, slogans like ‘Promote Revolution, Boost Production’ and ‘Red and Specialized’ were proposed, and their revolutionary importance is very clear.
3. Under the background of the New Democratic Revolution, policies such as land to the tiller, confiscation of monopolistic foreign and domestic companies, and guiding private capital that does not have control over public life have been proven to be reasonable in practice.” [48]
(8) Maoist Diplomacy
- “Start anew,” “Clean the house before inviting guests” [74]. After establishing the new China, immediately abolish all “unequal treaties,” including “sellout treaties,” and gradually eliminate all privileges of imperialism in China, strongly consolidating the independence and sovereignty of New China.
- Develop different diplomatic strategies according to the international situation.
Initially, adopt an “one-sided” approach towards the Soviet Union [39], then the “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” [75], later the “Two Middle Zones” [76], and the “Theory of the Three Worlds” [77]. The consistent principles are the national interests and ethnic interests under the dictatorship of the proletariat, as well as proletarian internationalism; “self-reliance as the main focus, seeking foreign aid as auxiliary” [78]. Support peoples worldwide in overthrowing reactionary governments, lead Third World peoples in resisting hegemonism and imperialism, forming a tripartite confrontation among the US, USSR, and China. - “Imperialism and all reactionaries are paper tigers” [79], “Within fifty to a hundred years, the world will undergo profound changes in social systems, a great era of upheaval” [78].
(9) Continuing Revolution Theory under Proletarian Dictatorship
Key points of Chairman Mao’s theory on continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat, a total of six points:
"1. We must observe socialist society using the law of the unity of opposites in Marxism-Leninism. Chairman Mao pointed out: the law of the unity of opposites is the fundamental law of the universe. Contradictions are universally present, and the internal contradictions within things are the fundamental cause of their development.
In socialist society, there are two types of social contradictions: the contradiction between enemies and us, and the contradictions among the people. The contradiction between enemies and us is antagonistic. The contradictions among the people, among the working people, are non-antagonistic. Chairman Mao told us: it is necessary to distinguish the boundaries between these two types of contradictions—enemies and us, and among the people—and correctly handle the contradictions among the people. Only then can the dictatorship of the proletariat be continuously consolidated and strengthened, and the socialist system develop further.
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Socialist society is a relatively long historical stage. During this stage, class contradictions and class struggle still exist, as well as the struggle between socialism and capitalism, and the danger of capitalist restoration. After the basic completion of the socialist transformation of the ownership of the means of production, class struggle has not ended. The class struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, the struggle among various political forces, and the ideological struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie are still long-term, tortuous, and sometimes even intense. To prevent capitalist restoration and peaceful evolution, the socialist revolution on the political and ideological fronts must be carried through to the end.
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The class struggle under the dictatorship of the proletariat is essentially a question of power—namely, the bourgeoisie seeks to overthrow the dictatorship of the proletariat, and the proletariat must vigorously consolidate it. The proletariat must exercise comprehensive dictatorship over the bourgeoisie in the superstructure, including all cultural fields. Our relationship with them is absolutely not one of equality, but a relationship of one class oppressing another—namely, the dictatorship or rule of the proletariat over the bourgeoisie. It cannot be a relationship of equality, peaceful coexistence between the exploited and the exploiters, or a moral relationship.
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The struggle between the two classes and two roads in society will inevitably reflect within the Party.
A small group of those in power following the capitalist road within the Party are representatives of the bourgeoisie within the Party. They are a group of counter-revolutionary revisionists. Once the time is ripe, they will seek to seize power, transforming the dictatorship of the proletariat into the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. To consolidate the dictatorship of the proletariat, we must be fully alert to figures like Khrushchev sleeping among us, fully expose them, criticize them, overthrow them, and resolutely recover the power they have usurped for the proletariat. -
Continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat most importantly involves carrying out the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.
The proletarian cultural revolution can only be a revolution of the masses liberating themselves. The masses must educate themselves during this great revolutionary movement. That is, this proletarian cultural revolution uses the method of mass democracy under the dictatorship of the proletariat, from bottom to top, to mobilize the masses, while implementing the revolutionary united front of revolutionary factions, revolutionary cadres, and the people’s liberation army. -
The fundamental program of the ideological field in the proletarian cultural revolution is to combat selfishness and criticize revisionism. The proletariat must transform the world according to its own worldview, and the bourgeoisie must also transform the world according to its worldview. Therefore, the proletarian cultural revolution is a revolution that touches the soul of people; it aims to resolve people’s worldview issues. Politically, ideologically, and theoretically, revisionism must be criticized and corrected, using proletarian thought to defeat bourgeois egoism and all non-proletarian ideas, reform education, arts, and all superstructure that does not suit the socialist economic base, and root out revisionism." [80]
(Section 10) Theory of the socialist re-revolution (see section 3(3)6)
References:
[1] Li Chengrui, “Serious Study and Practice of Mao Zedong Thought — Speech at the Commemoration of the 119th Anniversary of Mao Zedong’s Birth (Revised Draft)”, 2013.
[2] Mao Zedong, “Analysis of All Classes in Chinese Society” (December 1, 1925), in “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 1, People’s Publishing House, June 1991, 2nd edition, p. 9.
[3] Mao Zedong, “Speech at the Yan’an Literary and Art Symposium” (May 1942), in “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 3, People’s Publishing House, June 1991, 2nd edition, p. 855.
[4] Mao Zedong, “On the Question of the National Bourgeoisie and Enlightened Gentry” (March 1, 1948), in “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 4, People’s Publishing House, June 1991, 2nd edition, pp. 1287, 1288.
[5] Mao Zedong, “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People” (February 27, 1957), in “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 5, People’s Publishing House, April 1977, 1st edition, p. 364.
[6] Lenin, “The Great Initiative” (June 28, 1919), in “Collected Works of Lenin” Volume 37, People’s Publishing House, 1986, Chinese 2nd edition, p. 13.
[7] Mao Zedong, “On the Strategic Problems of the Chinese Revolutionary War” (December 1936), in “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 1, People’s Publishing House, June 1991, 2nd edition, pp. 183, 222-228, 204.
[8] Mao Zedong, “Statement on Chiang Kai-shek’s Declaration” (December 28, 1936), in “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 1, Central Literature Publishing House, June 1991, 2nd edition, p. 250.
[9] Mao Zedong, “Important Instructions from Chairman Mao” (October 1975 – January 1976), in “Mao Zedong Manuscripts Since the Founding of the People’s Republic” Volume 13, Central Literature Publishing House, January 1998, 1st edition, p. 487.
[10] Mao Zedong, “Speech at the Enlarged Central Work Conference” (January 30, 1962), in “Mao Zedong Manuscripts Since the Founding of the People’s Republic” Volume 10, Central Literature Publishing House, August 1996, 1st edition, pp. 24-25.
[11] Editorials “Leninism or Social Imperialism? — Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Lenin’s Birth”, People’s Daily, April 22, 1976; “Why Can the ‘Ten Points’ and ‘Sixty Points’ Mobilize People’s Power?” (1964), in “Mao Zedong Thought for the Ages” (1961-1968 Volumes), Wuhan edition, p. 205.
[12] Mao Zedong, “Against Bookishness” (May 1930), in “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” Volume 1, Central Literature Publishing House, June 1991, 2nd edition, p. 113.