Rehab Farooq

Student of International Relations, NDU.

Instagram: _rehabfarooq

Mao Zedong Thought

“A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot
be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous. A
revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another. (“Report on an
Investigation of a Peasant Movement,” 1927)

This quote is attributed to Mao Zedong, who was one of the founding members of the Chinese Communist
Party and became the leader of the party and eventually the country. The quote emphasizes that revolution is not
a gentle or peaceful process. According to Mao, revolution is a violent act, an insurrection, in which one class
overthrows another. Mao's emphasis on violence and class struggle was a central feature of his ideology and had
a significant impact on the Chinese Communist Party's approach to political and social change. It also
influenced the party's policies, including the use of violence to suppress political dissent and the emphasis on
mass mobilization during the Cultural Revolution.

 The May Fourth Movement of 1919 was a student-led protest in China against the Treaty of Versailles,
which had awarded Germany's concessions in China to Japan. The movement was a turning point in China's
intellectual and political history, as it sparked a new sense of nationalism and a search for modernization
and reform. The founding of the CCP in 1921 was a direct result of this movement, as many of its early
members were intellectuals and students who were inspired by the ideas of Marxism and Leninism.

 Mao Zedong was one of the founding members of the CCP and played a crucial role in its development
and success. He became the party's leader in the 1940s and remained in power until his death in 1976. Mao's
leadership was marked by his ideas and policies, collectively known as Mao Zedong Thought.

 Mao Zedong Thought became the guiding ideology of the CCP in 1945, when it was included in the
party constitution. This ideology is based on the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, but also incorporates elements
of Chinese philosophy, culture, and history. Mao's emphasis on the role of peasants as the revolutionary
class, and his call for a "people's war" of guerrilla warfare tactics, were also central to his thought.

 Mao Zedong's emphasis on Chinese philosophy and culture as part of the CCP's ideology reflects the party's
attempts to create a "Chinese version" of communism that would be relevant to the country's unique
historical and cultural context. This was seen as necessary to win the support of the Chinese people and to
create a successful communist revolution in China.

 The distinction between Marxism-Leninism as the "pure ideology" and Mao Zedong Thought as the
"practical ideology" reflects the different ways in which these two sets of ideas were implemented in China.
While Marxism-Leninism provided the theoretical basis for communist revolution, Mao Zedong
Thought provided the practical strategies and tactics that were necessary for the CCP to achieve
victory in the Chinese Civil War and to establish a socialist state.

Mao’s Thought: The Role of Peasants in the Revolution:

  Marx saw socialism and communism as the result of a proletarian revolution: According to Marx, the
proletariat (working-class) would rise in a revolution against the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class), leading to
the establishment of a socialist society in which the means of production would be owned collectively by
the workers. This would eventually lead to the establishment of a communist society where the state would
no longer exist, and all individuals would work for the common good.
 Marx called Peasants as “A class of barbarians standing halfway outside of society”, “A sack of
potatoes”: Marx believed that the peasants, who made up a large portion of the population in his time, were
not capable of bringing about a socialist revolution as they were tied to the land and lacked the mobility and
organization of the urban proletariat. He saw them as a backward and reactionary force, resistant to the
forces of modernization and industrialization.
 Mao considered Peasants as “the most revolutionary group” and “the vanguard in the overthrow of the
feudal forces”: In contrast to Marx, Mao believed that the peasants were a revolutionary force in China and
could play a leading role in overthrowing the feudal forces and bringing about a socialist revolution. He
believed that the peasants were the most oppressed and exploited class in Chinese society, and that their
revolutionary potential could be harnessed by the Communist Party.
 Mao’s rural strategy of “surrounding the cities from the countryside”: Mao believed that the CCP could
only successfully seize power by encircling the cities from the countryside, gaining support from the
peasants, and building a strong base of rural support. He believed that the CCP could use the rural areas as a
stronghold from which to launch attacks on the cities and eventually take over the country.
 Stalin called Mao as “cave Marxist”: Stalin's "cave Marxist" label referred to Mao's perceived lack of
theoretical understanding and his focus on practical experience. Stalin believed that Mao had little
understanding of Marxist theory and was more concerned with achieving practical results. Despite this
criticism, Stalin supported Mao and the CCP during the Chinese Civil War.

I. MAO’S THOUGHT ON MASS LINE

 It is a method of leadership— or “work style”: Mao's mass line is a method of leadership that encourages
leaders to listen to the concerns and ideas of the masses, take those ideas into account, and then implement
policies that reflect the will of the people. It is a "work style" that puts the people first and prioritizes their
needs.
 It emphasizes that those with authority (“cadres”) must always remain in close touch with those they lead:
The leaders or cadres must maintain a close relationship with the masses they lead, understand their needs,
and stay attuned to their changing demands. Mao believed that the cadre should be a bridge between the
people and the government, helping to ensure that government policies reflect the needs of the people.
 It rejects both leaderless, spontaneous action by the masses and leadership that is aloof or divorced from the
masses: Mao believed that neither leaderless, spontaneous action by the masses nor a detached leadership
was the solution to the country's problems. Instead, he advocated for a collaborative approach in which the
leaders work closely with the masses to ensure that their needs are met.
 “From the masses, to the masses”: Mao's mass line approach stresses that the leadership should take the
ideas, opinions, and concerns of the masses into account when making decisions. Mao believed that true
leadership must come from the masses, and that the people's ideas and opinions must be incorporated into
policy decisions. However, leaders are still expected to exercise authority and expect compliance from the
masses.

II. MAO’S THOUGHT ON VOLUNTARISM

  Voluntarism is a philosophical belief that individual or collective willpower can be a decisive force in
bringing about significant historical changes, even in the face of difficult objective circumstances or
obstacles.
 Voluntarism often expresses a supreme faith in the power of subjective factors such as commitment,
faith, determination, and perseverance to overcome the objective conditions that stand in the way of
solving a problem or achieving a goal. This belief can lead people to pursue seemingly impossible or
unrealistic goals through sheer willpower, and it can inspire people to undertake difficult struggles in the
face of overwhelming odds.
 "The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains" is an essay from Mao's speech to the CCP in
1945. In the essay, Mao tells a story about an old man who worked tirelessly to remove two large mountains
that blocked the way to his home. When some people laughed at him and told him it was impossible, the old
man responded that if he and his family worked together with their neighbors, they could gradually move
the mountains away. Mao used this story as a metaphor for the Chinese people's struggle against
imperialism and feudalism. He argued that just as the old man had succeeded through determination and
hard work, so too could the Chinese people overcome the obstacles that stood in the way of their liberation,
if they worked together with the CCP and followed its leadership. The story thus exemplifies Mao's belief in
the power of voluntarism and collective action to bring about revolutionary change.

III. MAO’S THOUGHT ON CONTRADICTION

 Mao's idea of contradiction is rooted in the concept of dialectics, which posits that everything contains
within it opposing forces that interact and clash, leading to change and development. Mao believed that
contradiction was not a negative force but an essential element of progress, as it drives the struggle and
transformation of society and nature. He saw contradiction as existing universally, in all things, whether
physical or social, and in all processes of motion, from the simple to the complex.
 Mao believed that not all contradictions are antagonistic, meaning that not all opposing forces are
irreconcilable and can be resolved through negotiation and compromise. He recognized that different groups
or classes could have divergent interests and perspectives, but still share common ground, particularly when
it comes to the struggle against a common enemy. For instance, rural peasants and urban workers may have
different living conditions and economic opportunities, but they share a common goal of fighting against
capitalist exploitation.
 Antagonistic contradictions, on the other hand, are irreconcilable, involving opposing forces whose
interests and goals are fundamentally opposed. Mao believed that class struggle was the most fundamental
form of antagonistic contradiction, between the oppressed and the oppressors, the exploited and the
exploiters. Antagonistic contradictions are resolved through revolutionary struggle, where the
oppressed class or group overthrows their oppressors and establishes a new social order based on
their interests. For example, the contradiction between poor peasants and landlords was seen as an
antagonistic one, as the landlords represented the exploiting class, and their interests were diametrically
opposed to those of the peasants.

IV. Mao’s Thought: Class struggle and Permanent Revolution

 Mao believed that class struggle continues even after the establishment of a socialist society. He recognized
that some members of society could still cling to capitalist ideas and practices, and therefore, the struggle to
build a socialist society would continue.
 Mao believed that socialism was a transitional phase, and communism would only be achieved through
a continuous process of revolution. The communist party needed to stay connected to the masses and be
open to criticism to ensure that the goals of the revolution were achieved.
  Mao saw permanent revolution as a necessary aspect of achieving a truly communist society. He
believed that without continuous revolution and struggle against counterrevolutionary forces, society would
regress back to capitalism.
 Mao believed that even after the elimination of all classes, there would still be a need for revolution. He
believed that revolution was necessary for the constant renewal and transformation of society to
achieve higher levels of development and progress.

V. Mao’s Thought: Seek Truth from Facts

 The only way to develop a correct theory was based on practice. “Social practice alone is the criterion of
the truth”. Mao believed that only through the practice of social life could we develop a correct theory.
Practical experience is the criterion of truth, and it is through trial and error that people can develop a
realistic understanding of the world.
 “Marxism- Leninism has in no way exhausted truth, but ceaselessly opens up roads to the knowledge
of truth in the course of practice”, said Mao. Mao believed that Marxism-Leninism, as a revolutionary
theory, was constantly evolving and that new knowledge was continually being generated through social
practice. Therefore, seeking truth from facts meant being open to new ideas and not accepting any theory as
fixed and immutable.
 “If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution,” said
Mao. Mao believed that the only way to gain a full understanding of revolutionary theory and methods was
to participate in the revolution actively. The practical experiences of revolutionaries were vital in generating
new knowledge and understanding of the revolutionary process.
 “Where do correct ideas come from? Do they drop from the skies? No. Are they innate in the mind?
No. They come from social practice, and from it alone,” said Mao. Mao argued that correct ideas and
theories are not innate but come from social practice, and that new ideas must be continually tested against
practical experience to ensure their validity. Only by putting ideas into practice and learning from the results
can people develop an accurate understanding of reality.