which is contrary to science and Marxism-Leninism is a formidable enemy of the Communist Party, the working class,the people and the nation;it is a manifestation of impurity in Party spirit.A formidable enemy stands before us,and we must overthrow him.Only when subjectivism is overthrown can the truth of Marxism-Leninism prevail,can Party spirit be strengthened,can the revolution be victorious.We must assert that the absence of a scientific attitude,that is,the absence of the Marxist-Leninist approach of uniting theory and practice,means that Party spirit is either absent or deficient. There is a couplet which portrays this type of person.It runs: The reed growing on the wall-top-heavy,thin-stemmed and shallow of root: The bamboo shoot in the hills-sharp-tongued,thick-skinned and hollow inside. Is this not an apt description of those who do not have a scientific attitude,who can only recite words and phrases from the works of Marx,Engels,Lenin and Stalin and who enjoy a reputation unwarranted by any real learning?If anyone really wishes to cure himself of his malady,I advise him to commit this couplet to memory or to show still more courage and paste it on the wall of his room.Marxism-Leninism is a science,and science means honest,solid knowledge:there is no room for playing tricks.Let us,then,be honest. Secondly,there is the Marxist-Leninist attitude. With this attitude,a person applies the theory and method of Marxism-Leninism to the systematic and thorough investigation and study of the environment.He does not work by enthusiasm alone but,as Stalin says,combines revolutionary sweep with practicalness.[4]With this attitude he will not chop up history.It is not enough for him to know ancient Greece,he must know China;he must know the revolutionary history not only of foreign countries but also of China,not only the China of today but also the China of yesterday and of the day before yesterday.With this attitude,one studies the theory of Marxism-Leninism with a purpose,that is,to integrate Marxist-Leninist theory with the actual movement of the Chinese revolution and to seek from this theory the stand,viewpoint and method with which to solve the theoretical and tactical problems of the Chinese revolution. Such an attitude is one of shooting the arrow at the target.The "target"is the Chinese revolution, the "arrow"is Marxism-Leninism.We Chinese Communists have been seeking this arrow because we want to hit the target of the Chinese revolution and of the revolution of the East.To take such an attitude is to seek truth from facts."Facts"are all the things that exist objectively,"truth"means their internal relations,that is,the laws governing them,and "to seek"means to study.We should proceed from the actual conditions inside and outside the country,the province,county or district, and derive from them,as our guide to action,laws which are inherent in them and not imaginary, that is,we should find the internal relations of the events occurring around us.And in order to do that we must rely not on subjective imagination,not on momentary enthusiasm,not on lifeless books,but on facts that exist objectively;we must appropriate the material in detail and,guided by the general principles of Marxism-Leninism,draw correct conclusions from it.Such conclusions are not mere lists of phenomena in A,B,C,D order or writings full of platitudes,but are scientific conclusions.Such an attitude is one of seeking truth from facts and not of currying favour by
which is contrary to science and Marxism-Leninism is a formidable enemy of the Communist Party, the working class, the people and the nation; it is a manifestation of impurity in Party spirit. A formidable enemy stands before us, and we must overthrow him. Only when subjectivism is overthrown can the truth of Marxism-Leninism prevail, can Party spirit be strengthened, can the revolution be victorious. We must assert that the absence of a scientific attitude, that is, the absence of the Marxist-Leninist approach of uniting theory and practice, means that Party spirit is either absent or deficient. There is a couplet which portrays this type of person. It runs: The reed growing on the wall-top-heavy, thin-stemmed and shallow of root; The bamboo shoot in the hills-sharp-tongued, thick-skinned and hollow inside. Is this not an apt description of those who do not have a scientific attitude, who can only recite words and phrases from the works of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin and who enjoy a reputation unwarranted by any real learning? If anyone really wishes to cure himself of his malady, I advise him to commit this couplet to memory or to show still more courage and paste it on the wall of his room. Marxism-Leninism is a science, and science means honest, solid knowledge; there is no room for playing tricks. Let us, then, be honest. Secondly, there is the Marxist-Leninist attitude. With this attitude, a person applies the theory and method of Marxism-Leninism to the systematic and thorough investigation and study of the environment. He does not work by enthusiasm alone but, as Stalin says, combines revolutionary sweep with practicalness. [4] With this attitude he will not chop up history. It is not enough for him to know ancient Greece, he must know China; he must know the revolutionary history not only of foreign countries but also of China, not only the China of today but also the China of yesterday and of the day before yesterday. With this attitude, one studies the theory of Marxism-Leninism with a purpose, that is, to integrate Marxist-Leninist theory with the actual movement of the Chinese revolution and to seek from this theory the stand, viewpoint and method with which to solve the theoretical and tactical problems of the Chinese revolution. Such an attitude is one of shooting the arrow at the target. The "target" is the Chinese revolution, the "arrow" is Marxism-Leninism. We Chinese Communists have been seeking this arrow because we want to hit the target of the Chinese revolution and of the revolution of the East. To take such an attitude is to seek truth from facts. "Facts" are all the things that exist objectively, "truth" means their internal relations, that is, the laws governing them, and "to seek" means to study. We should proceed from the actual conditions inside and outside the country, the province, county or district, and derive from them, as our guide to action, laws which are inherent in them and not imaginary, that is, we should find the internal relations of the events occurring around us. And in order to do that we must rely not on subjective imagination, not on momentary enthusiasm, not on lifeless books, but on facts that exist objectively; we must appropriate the material in detail and, guided by the general principles of Marxism-Leninism, draw correct conclusions from it. Such conclusions are not mere lists of phenomena in A, B, C, D order or writings full of platitudes, but are scientific conclusions. Such an attitude is one of seeking truth from facts and not of currying favour by
claptrap.It is the manifestation of Party spirit,the Marxist-Leninist style of uniting theory and practice.It is the attitude every Communist Party member should have at the very least.He who adopts this attitude will be neither "top-heavy,thin-stemmed and shallow of root"nor "sharp- tongued,thick-skinned and hollow inside". IV In accordance with the above views,I would like to make the following proposals: 1.We should place before the whole Party the task of making a systematic and thorough study of the situation around us.On the basis of the theory and method of Marxism-Leninism,we should make a detailed investigation and study of developments in the economic,financial,political, military,cultural and party activities of our enemies,our friends and ourselves,and then draw the proper and necessary conclusions.To this end,we should direct our comrades'attention to the investigation and study of these practical matters.We should get our comrades to understand that the twofold basic task of the leading bodies of the Communist Party is to know conditions and to master policy;the former means knowing the world and the latter changing the world.We should get our comrades to understand that without investigation there is no right to speak,and that bombastic twaddle and a mere list of phenomena in 1,2,3,4 order are of no use.Take propaganda work,for instance;if we do not know the situation with regard to the propaganda of our enemies, our friends and ourselves,we shall be unable to decide on a correct propaganda policy.In the work of any department,it is necessary to know the situation first and only then can the work be well handled.The fundamental link in changing the Party's style of work is to carry out plans for investigation and study throughout the Party. 2.As for China's history in the last hundred years,we should assemble qualified persons to study it, in co-operation and with a proper division of labour,and so overcome the present disorganized state of affairs.First it is necessary to make analytical studies in the several fields of economic history, political history,military history and cultural history,and only then will it be possible to make synthetical studies. 3.As for education for cadres whether at work or in schools for cadres,a policy should be established of focusing such education on the study of the practical problems of the Chinese revolution and using the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism as the guide,and the method of studying Marxism-Leninism statically and in isolation should be discarded.Moreover,in studying Marxism-Leninism,we should use the History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks),Short Courseas the principal material.It is the best synthesis and summing-up of the world communist movement of the past hundred years,a model of the integration of theory and practice,and so far the only comprehensive model in the whole world.When we see how Lenin and Stalin integrated the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete practice of the Soviet revolution and thereby developed Marxism,we shall know how we should work in China We have made many detours.But error is often the precursor of what is correct.I am confident that in the context of the Chinese revolution and the world revolution,which is so intensely alive and so richly varied,this reform of our study will certainly yield good results
claptrap. It is the manifestation of Party spirit, the Marxist-Leninist style of uniting theory and practice. It is the attitude every Communist Party member should have at the very least. He who adopts this attitude will be neither "top-heavy, thin-stemmed and shallow of root" nor "sharptongued, thick-skinned and hollow inside". IV In accordance with the above views, I would like to make the following proposals: 1. We should place before the whole Party the task of making a systematic and thorough study of the situation around us. On the basis of the theory and method of Marxism-Leninism, we should make a detailed investigation and study of developments in the economic, financial, political, military, cultural and party activities of our enemies, our friends and ourselves, and then draw the proper and necessary conclusions. To this end, we should direct our comrades' attention to the investigation and study of these practical matters. We should get our comrades to understand that the twofold basic task of the leading bodies of the Communist Party is to know conditions and to master policy; the former means knowing the world and the latter changing the world. We should get our comrades to understand that without investigation there is no right to speak, and that bombastic twaddle and a mere list of phenomena in 1, 2, 3, 4 order are of no use. Take propaganda work, for instance; if we do not know the situation with regard to the propaganda of our enemies, our friends and ourselves, we shall be unable to decide on a correct propaganda policy. In the work of any department, it is necessary to know the situation first and only then can the work be well handled. The fundamental link in changing the Party's style of work is to carry out plans for investigation and study throughout the Party. 2. As for China's history in the last hundred years, we should assemble qualified persons to study it, in co-operation and with a proper division of labour, and so overcome the present disorganized state of affairs. First it is necessary to make analytical studies in the several fields of economic history, political history, military history and cultural history, and only then will it be possible to make synthetical studies. 3. As for education for cadres whether at work or in schools for cadres, a policy should be established of focusing such education on the study of the practical problems of the Chinese revolution and using the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism as the guide, and the method of studying Marxism-Leninism statically and in isolation should be discarded. Moreover, in studying Marxism-Leninism, we should use the History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks), Short Courseas the principal material. It is the best synthesis and summing-up of the world communist movement of the past hundred years, a model of the integration of theory and practice, and so far the only comprehensive model in the whole world. When we see how Lenin and Stalin integrated the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete practice of the Soviet revolution and thereby developed Marxism, we shall know how we should work in China. We have made many detours. But error is often the precursor of what is correct. I am confident that in the context of the Chinese revolution and the world revolution, which is so intensely alive and so richly varied, this reform of our study will certainly yield good results
NOTES 1.Fuhsien County is about seventy kilometres south of Yenan. 2.The Border Region currency consisted of the currency notes issued by the Bank of the Shensi- Kansu-Ningsia Border Region Government.The Kuomintang currency was the paper currency issued by the four big Kuomintang bureaucrat-capitalist banks from 1935 onwards with British and U.S.imperialist support.Comrade Mao Tse-tung was referring to the fluctuations in the rates of exchange between these two currencies. 3.See Karl Marx,"Afterword to the Second German Edition"of Capitalin which he wrote:"The latter [the method of inquiry]has to appropriate the material in detail,to analyse its different forms of development,to trace out their inner connexion.Only after this work is done,can the actual movement be adequately described."(Capital,Eng.ed.,FLPH,Moscow,Vol.I,p.19.) 4.See J.V.Stalin,"The Foundations of Leninism",Problems of LeninismRuss.ed.,Moscow,1952, p.80. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung EXPOSE THE PLOT FORA FAR EASTERN MUNICH May25,1941 [This inner-Party directive was written by Comrade Mao Tse-tung for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.] 1.A compromise between Japan and the United States at the expense of China and the creation of an Eastern Munich against communism and against the Soviet Union-such is the new plot which is now being hatched by Japan,the United States and Chiang Kai-shek.We must expose this plot and fight it
NOTES 1. Fuhsien County is about seventy kilometres south of Yenan. 2. The Border Region currency consisted of the currency notes issued by the Bank of the ShensiKansu-Ningsia Border Region Government. The Kuomintang currency was the paper currency issued by the four big Kuomintang bureaucrat-capitalist banks from 1935 onwards with British and U.S. imperialist support. Comrade Mao Tse-tung was referring to the fluctuations in the rates of exchange between these two currencies. 3. See Karl Marx, "Afterword to the Second German Edition" of Capitalin which he wrote: "The latter [the method of inquiry] has to appropriate the material in detail, to analyse its different forms of development, to trace out their inner connexion. Only after this work is done, can the actual movement be adequately described." (Capital,Eng. ed., FLPH, Moscow, Vol. I, p. 19.) 4. See J. V. Stalin, "The Foundations of Leninism", Problems of LeninismRuss. ed., Moscow, 1952, p. 80. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung EXPOSE THE PLOT FOR A FAR EASTERN MUNICH May 25, 1941 [This inner-Party directive was written by Comrade Mao Tse-tung for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.] 1. A compromise between Japan and the United States at the expense of China and the creation of an Eastern Munich against communism and against the Soviet Union-such is the new plot which is now being hatched by Japan, the United States and Chiang Kai-shek. We must expose this plot and fight it
2.Now that the Japanese imperialists have ended their latest round of military attacks,which was designed to force Chiang Kai-shek to capitulate,there are bound to be moves to induce him to capitulate.This is a repeat performance of the enemy's old policy of using the stick and the carrot. either alternately or simultaneously.We must expose this policy and fight it. 3.Simultaneously with her military attacks,Japan has launched a rumour-mongering campaign alleging that"the Eighth Route Army does not want to fight in co-ordination with the Kuomintang Central Army",that "the Eighth Route Army is seizing every opportunity to expand its territory", that"it is opening up an international route",that"it is setting up another Central Government",etc. This is a cunning Japanese scheme to foment discord between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party and thus to make it easier for them to induce the Kuomintang to capitulate.The Kuomintang Central News Agency and the Kuomintang press are copying and spreading these rumours, showing no qualms about echoing Japan's anti-Communist propaganda,and their intentions are most dubious.This,too,we must expose and fight. 4.Although the New Fourth Army has been declared to be "in rebellion"and the Eighth Route Army has not received a single bullet or a single copper from the Kuomintang,they have never for a moment ceased fighting the enemy.The Eighth Route Army,moreover,has taken the initiative in co-ordinating its operations with those of the Kuomintang troops in the fighting in the present campaign in southern Shansi,[1l and for the last two weeks it has been launching attacks on all fronts in northern China,where fierce battles are raging at this very moment.The armed forces and the people led by the Communist Party have already become the mainstay in the War of Resistance Against Japan.All the calumnies against the Communist Party are aimed at sabotaging the War of Resistance and paving the way for capitulation.We should extend the military successes of the Eighth Route and New Fourth Armies and oppose all the defeatists and capitulationists. NOTES 1.The Southern Shansi campaign refers to the campaign of the Chungtiao Mountains.In May 1941, a Japanese invading force 50,000 strong attacked the Chungtiao Mountains area to the north of the Yellow River in southern Shansi.Altogether seven Kuomintang corps were massed in that area,and another four in the Kaoping area to the northeast,making a total of 250,000 men.Since the fight against the Communists was the main job of the Kuomintang troops north of the Yellow River,they had never prepared themselves to fight the Japanese,and most of them tried to avoid combat when the Japanese aggressors attacked.Therefore,in spite of vigorous efforts by the Eighth Route Army to support the Kuomintang troops against the enemy in this campaign,the Kuomintang troops were completely routed,losing more than 50,000 men in three weeks,while the remainder fled to the south of the Yellow River. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org
2. Now that the Japanese imperialists have ended their latest round of military attacks, which was designed to force Chiang Kai-shek to capitulate, there are bound to be moves to induce him to capitulate. This is a repeat performance of the enemy's old policy of using the stick and the carrot, either alternately or simultaneously. We must expose this policy and fight it. 3. Simultaneously with her military attacks, Japan has launched a rumour-mongering campaign alleging that "the Eighth Route Army does not want to fight in co-ordination with the Kuomintang Central Army", that "the Eighth Route Army is seizing every opportunity to expand its territory", that "it is opening up an international route", that "it is setting up another Central Government", etc. This is a cunning Japanese scheme to foment discord between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party and thus to make it easier for them to induce the Kuomintang to capitulate. The Kuomintang Central News Agency and the Kuomintang press are copying and spreading these rumours, showing no qualms about echoing Japan's anti-Communist propaganda, and their intentions are most dubious. This, too, we must expose and fight. 4. Although the New Fourth Army has been declared to be "in rebellion" and the Eighth Route Army has not received a single bullet or a single copper from the Kuomintang, they have never for a moment ceased fighting the enemy. The Eighth Route Army, moreover, has taken the initiative in co-ordinating its operations with those of the Kuomintang troops in the fighting in the present campaign in southern Shansi, [1] and for the last two weeks it has been launching attacks on all fronts in northern China, where fierce battles are raging at this very moment. The armed forces and the people led by the Communist Party have already become the mainstay in the War of Resistance Against Japan. All the calumnies against the Communist Party are aimed at sabotaging the War of Resistance and paving the way for capitulation. We should extend the military successes of the Eighth Route and New Fourth Armies and oppose all the defeatists and capitulationists. NOTES 1. The Southern Shansi campaign refers to the campaign of the Chungtiao Mountains. In May 1941, a Japanese invading force 50,000 strong attacked the Chungtiao Mountains area to the north of the Yellow River in southern Shansi. Altogether seven Kuomintang corps were massed in that area, and another four in the Kaoping area to the northeast, making a total of 250,000 men. Since the fight against the Communists was the main job of the Kuomintang troops north of the Yellow River, they had never prepared themselves to fight the Japanese, and most of them tried to avoid combat when the Japanese aggressors attacked. Therefore, in spite of vigorous efforts by the Eighth Route Army to support the Kuomintang troops against the enemy in this campaign, the Kuomintang troops were completely routed, losing more than 50,000 men in three weeks, while the remainder fled to the south of the Yellow River. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org
Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung ON THE INTERNATIONAL UNITED FRONT AGAINST FASCISM Jme23.194l [This inner-party directive was written by Comrade Mao Tse-tung for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.] On June 22 the fascist rulers of Germany attacked the Soviet Union.This is a perfidious crime of aggression not only against the Soviet Union but against the freedom and independence of all nations.The Soviet Union's sacred war of resistance against fascist aggression is being waged not only in its own defence but in defence of all the nations struggling to liberate themselves from fascist enslavement. For Communists throughout the world the task now is to mobilize the people of all countries and organize an international united front to fight fascism and defend the Soviet Union,defend China, and defend the freedom and independence of all nations.In the present period,every effort must be concentrated on combating fascist enslavement. For the Chinese Communist Party the tasks throughout the country are as follows: 1.Persevere in the National United Front Against Japan,persevere in Kuomintang-Communist co- operation,drive the Japanese imperialists out of China,and by these means assist the Soviet Union. 2.Resolutely combat all the anti-Soviet and anti-Communist activities of the reactionaries among the big bourgeoisie 3.In foreign relations,unite against the common foe with everybody in Britain,the United States and other countries who is opposed to the fascist rulers of Germany,Italy and Japan. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung
Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung ON THE INTERNATIONAL UNITED FRONT AGAINST FASCISM June 23, 1941 [This inner-party directive was written by Comrade Mao Tse-tung for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.] On June 22 the fascist rulers of Germany attacked the Soviet Union. This is a perfidious crime of aggression not only against the Soviet Union but against the freedom and independence of all nations. The Soviet Union's sacred war of resistance against fascist aggression is being waged not only in its own defence but in defence of all the nations struggling to liberate themselves from fascist enslavement. For Communists throughout the world the task now is to mobilize the people of all countries and organize an international united front to fight fascism and defend the Soviet Union, defend China, and defend the freedom and independence of all nations. In the present period, every effort must be concentrated on combating fascist enslavement. For the Chinese Communist Party the tasks throughout the country are as follows: 1. Persevere in the National United Front Against Japan, persevere in Kuomintang-Communist cooperation, drive the Japanese imperialists out of China, and by these means assist the Soviet Union. 2. Resolutely combat all the anti-Soviet and anti-Communist activities of the reactionaries among the big bourgeoisie. 3. In foreign relations, unite against the common foe with everybody in Britain, the United States and other countries who is opposed to the fascist rulers of Germany, Italy and Japan. Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project. HTML revised 2004 by Marxists.org Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung