Preface
The Proletarian Liberation Struggle Association (hereinafter referred to as the “Association”) is a Marxist revolutionary organization in China. Guided by Marxism, Leninism, and Mao Zedong Thought, its goal is to establish a unified national revolutionary party in China, overthrow the revisionist social-imperialism, rebuild socialist society, and transition to communist society. To expand organizational size, spread revolutionary public opinion, unite the broad masses of Chinese people, and encourage, support, and absorb all progressive intellectuals sympathetic to or willing to participate in the revolution, the Proletarian Liberation Struggle Forum (hereinafter referred to as the “Forum”) was established. The establishment of the Forum will enable the Chinese people, as Lenin said in “What Is To Be Done?”, to have a platform for denunciation of the treacherous revisionist clique’s atrocities and for studying revolutionary theory. Therefore, the Forum welcomes all users who support the socialist system, oppose the revisionist social-imperialism, and endorse the Chinese socialist revolution to participate actively in the Forum. It is hoped that users will speak actively, engage in theoretical study, participate in discussions, and contribute to the development and growth of the Forum.
Lenin once pointed out, “Unconditional centralism and strict discipline of the proletariat are among the basic conditions for defeating the bourgeoisie.”[1] Chairman Mao also stated that democratic centralism “is both democratic and centralized, that is, centralization on the basis of democracy, and democracy under the guidance of centralization.”[2] To ensure that the Forum operates in an orderly manner under the guidance of the proletarian revolutionary line, continues to develop, guarantees users full freedom of speech, prevents malicious sabotage by reactionary elements, resists reactionary propaganda, and prevents the spread of erroneous ideas, it is necessary to establish certain rules and regulations as discipline that users must abide by. Such discipline is essential under the needs of the proletarian revolution, especially given that genuine Marxist ideas are still severely banned by the revisionists, capitalism still dominates China, and the Forum faces threats from the revisionist dictatorial agencies and reactionary elements hostile to the proletarian revolution. These rules not only safeguard the Forum’s security and regulate users’ speech and behavior but also ensure the freedom of all revolutionary speech on the Forum.
“Let a hundred flowers bloom, and a hundred schools of thought contend” is a fundamental policy of the Forum. Different opinions are allowed to be freely debated to distinguish which ideas are fragrant flowers and which are poisonous weeds. Under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, the Forum advocates free discussion of various academic viewpoints. For all sincere expressions, regardless of correctness, the Forum always adopts an attitude of encouragement, support, and guidance, endorsing correct ideas and criticizing wrong ones, engaging in serious discussion and explanation. However, when it comes to contradictions between enemies and us, and contradictions among the people, correct distinction must be made: “We will never show mercy to reactionaries and reactionary behaviors.”[3] In class society, there is no supra-class freedom of speech. As an organ subordinate to the Association, the Forum has a clear class character. It can only guarantee freedom of speech that conforms to the interests of the proletariat, and should not and cannot guarantee the freedom of speech of the bourgeoisie and all other counterrevolutionary elements. When facts are clear and evidence is conclusive, we will not tolerate reactionary speech spreading foul air, nor will we allow reactionary weeds to grow wildly. Either revolutionary public opinion will dominate, or counterrevolutionary propaganda will prevail—there is no middle ground. If revolutionary forces do not seize the ideological front, reactionary elements will take over. Therefore, the Forum firmly stands on the proletarian side, opposes all speech representing bourgeois interests, and resolutely bans all saboteurs and malicious speech.
The Forum believes that under the current rules and regulations, the broad user base can feel a “state of unity with both centralization and democracy, discipline and freedom, and a unified will with individual happiness and lively vitality”[4], and can improve their theoretical cultivation, strengthen ideological consciousness, and make their own contribution to the revolution during their activities on the Forum. Let us unite and strive for greater victory!
1. General Principles
Article 1 The “Proletarian Liberation Struggle Forum Rules” (hereinafter referred to as the “Forum Rules”) are formulated based on the principles of democratic centralism in Marxism, Leninism, and Mao Zedong Thought, and are the basic guidelines that users must abide by during activities on the Forum.
Article 2 The Forum is responsible for the final maintenance and enforcement of the Forum Rules. Users who violate the Rules will be subject to different sanctions depending on the nature and severity of their violations.
Article 3 Users enjoy the rights stipulated in the Forum Rules and bear corresponding obligations. The Forum will safeguard users’ rights within the Forum and exercise supervision and management over users’ behaviors.
2. Rights and Obligations of Forum Users
Article 4 The basic rights and obligations of users are to consciously abide by the Forum Rules when speaking or operating on the Forum, guided by Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, supporting correct speech and actions, and opposing incorrect speech and actions.
Article 5 Users have the right to freely express opinions, hold large-scale debates, and participate in discussions.
Article 6 Users have the obligation to obey the management of the Forum and to criticize and report reactionary speech.
3. Scope of Freedom of Speech
Article 7 The Forum supports users in expressing all correct opinions within the scope of Marxism and opposes all incorrect opinions outside this scope.
Article 8 Regarding differing opinions among users, the Forum, following the organizational principles of Marxism and the policy of “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools contend,” allows users with different standpoints and viewpoints to debate openly and encourages active participation in discussions.
Article 9 The Forum takes a firm stance against reactionary speech and will handle such speech seriously throughout the entire Forum.
Article 10 Reactionary speech is diverse and numerous, generally standing on the side of bourgeoisie and reactionary forces, attacking, spreading rumors, and slandering socialist systems, socialist theories, and revolutionary forces. It includes but is not limited to:
- Propaganda of fascism
- Propaganda of anarchism
- Propaganda of Trotskyism
- Propaganda of Western Marxism
- Propaganda of revisionism
- Propaganda of Confucian ideas
- Propaganda of pornographic ideas
- Propaganda of religious superstitions
- Propaganda of “second dimension” (anime, otaku culture)
- Propaganda of vulgar and lowbrow ideas
- Propaganda of bourgeois patriarchy, especially openly discriminating against and insulting women
- Propaganda of narrow nationalism and narrow patriotism
- Propaganda of liberal ideas
For other reactionary speech not listed above, the Forum will point out and criticize upon discovery.
Article 11 For users who publish erroneous speech, the Forum will criticize and correct; for users lacking theoretical cultivation who publish wrong speech, patience will be exercised to explain; for users who insist on their views but do not resort to personal attacks, threats, or intimidation, the Forum will grant full freedom of speech and engage in debate; for users who adopt personal attacks, threats, or sabotage activities, the Forum will resolutely oppose and ban their accounts and IP addresses permanently, expelling them from the Forum.
4. Categories and Operational Permissions of Users
Article 12 Users can perform operations such as browsing content, posting opinions, discussing topics, uploading publications after review, communicating with other users, sharing content, and other operations in accordance with the Forum Rules.
Article 13 Users are divided into three categories based on operational permissions: “Unregistered Visitors,” “Registered Users,” and “Official Users.”
Article 14 Unregistered visitors have permission to share and browse content. To gain more permissions such as posting opinions and discussing topics, they must register and apply to become registered users. After successful registration, users can become registered users and obtain additional permissions.
Article 15 Registered users can post opinions, discuss topics, and communicate with others beyond the permissions of unregistered visitors. To gain further permissions such as publishing articles and uploading publications, they must introduce themselves in the self-introduction section, including their class background, personal experience, and ideological development, and apply to become official users.
Article 16 After the self-introduction is reviewed by the Forum administrators, confirming its truthfulness, comprehensiveness, and compliance with the standards for official users, the user can be approved as an official user.
Article 17 Official users have, beyond the permissions of registered users, the rights to publish articles, upload publications, and other operations in accordance with the Forum Rules.
Lenin: “Left-Wing” Childish Disease in the Communist Movement, Selected Works of Lenin, Volume 4, 2nd Edition October 1972, People’s Publishing House. ↩︎
Mao Zedong: On the United Front, Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 3, 1966 Edition, People’s Publishing House. ↩︎
Mao Zedong: On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship, Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 4, 1966 Edition, People’s Publishing House. ↩︎
Mao Zedong: Quoted from People’s Daily, July 24, 1968. ↩︎