Mao’s Betrayal

145 Pages·1979·90.95 MB·English

by  Wang Ming

G
N
M I
G
f N
i A
W
(i)G)
WANG MIN G
MAO's
ETRAYAL
'I'ran.slalerl
by Fie Schneiereon
[EJiil
pnOC;fiESS PUBL1SUl!:l\S
MOSCOW
CONTENTS
A Short Foreuiord 5
I. FIFTY YEAHS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF
Ban Mila CHINA 7
nPE,lJ:ATEJIhCTBO 1I1AO U33-,lJ:YHA II. "CAI\II'AIG:\ FOHTIlE RECTIFICATION OF STYLE"
IJRESS REHEARSAL OF THE "ClJLTUHA/, REVOLU
110 aH2.1UUC"OM .4Jwx-t 1'101:\" 15
1. The Preparatory First Period of the "Style Hectifrca-
lion" Campaign If)
2. The Second Period of "Style Hectification' 54
a The Third P(~l'iod-"Enwl'f:iency Salvation" 118
I,. The Fonrth Period- "Self-Refutation and Hnhahilita-
tion" 148
fl. The Fifth Period- "Surnming up" 1[,2
III. THE "CULTT1HAL REVOLUTIO;\," AXD THE MAOIST
ilW FOR COOI'ERATIOX \\'1'1'11 L\II)Enr.o\LIS~1 164
L "Cultural Revolution" in Name :111(1 Countor-Itevolu-
tionnry Coup in Substance 1131
2. Cooperation with Imperialism Is a Component of
Mao's Cnuntcr-Hevolutionurv Coup 170
:l The Reg-inning of the Present j\laoist Line of Co-
operation with Imperialism In
4. Th", Basic Reasons for Mao's Disgrace 195
IV. rue FATE OF THE "U):\,E MONK" !I;\,D THE MAO-
1ST 10TIl CO~GnESS 197
I. Why Mao Tse-lung Became a "Lone Monk" Hl7
© n OJlIITII<JllaT 1!l75 2. TIll! Home and Foreign Policy of the Maoist 10th
Congress 204
Engli!'h trnnslation © Progress I'ublishors 1979 a. Mao 'I'se-tnng and Chin Shih lIuang 224
Printed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republies Afterword 277
A SHORT FOREWORD
The first and second partsof this book, "Fifty Years of
the Communist Party of China" and "Campaign for the
Rectification of Style-Dress Rehearsal of the 'Cultural
Revolution' ", are taken from an article I wrote in 1971
on the 50th anniversary of the CPC. The third part,
"'Cultural Revolution' and the Maoist Bid for Coopera
tion with Imperialism", was written in tho autumn of
Hl71 to explain the "sudden reversal" in Mao's relations
with the United States. Due to ill health I could not
finish the manuscripts. Later, when health permitted, I
continued my work. The fourth part, "The Fato of the
'Lone Monk' and the Maoist Tenth Congress", was writ
ten in the heginning of Hl74.
Joining these four manuscripts under one head follows
the logic of the events. Certainly, it was not accidental
that Mao ':. betrayed Communism and the Revolution. His
ultimate treason crowned a long succession of crimes. A
decisive part in the chain of events leading to his apostasy
was played by his reactionary "campaign for the rectifica
tion of the style of work" in the early half of the
forties and by the "cultural revolution" launched in the
latter half of the sixties and continuing in altered form
today. Due to his counter-revolutionary turnabout, Mao
won favour with extreme reactionary imperialist groups,
while in the eyes of the true Chinese Communists, in the
eyes of lhe whnl« people of China, and in the eyes of the
world commuuist and auti-impet-ialist movements he is
a despicable traitor. He knows that he is alone, abandoned
* Mao Tse-tung died at the age of 82 in Peking on 9 Sep
tember 1\176.
and rejected by even his once closest Followers. It was FIFTY YEARS
this that mads him say to Edgar Snow when seeing him
OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA
off in the spring of 1971 that 'he.is "a lone monk walking
l.he world witll-a leaky urnbrclln". .
The concluding part of this book deals with the latest
events in China, It touches on the following questions:
why has Mao become a "lone monk": the' home and
cpe
foreign policy decisions of the ~laoist lOth Con
gross: why does Mao glorify Chin Shih Huang, attack
Confucius' and abuse tho name of Lu Hsun: Mao's second
"cultural 'l'ovolulion" under the signboard of cril.icislng
LiI; Piao and Confucius.
I am quite sure that the "lone monk" is doomed to
"final, d ear and complete" ':- defeat. ~his prcdictiou I~eeds On 1 July L971 the Communist. Party of China was 50
years old.
no prooi. It is predetermined by hlstory. The Chinese
It is a Marxist-Leninist party, the vanguard of the
Corntnuuistsand the people or China are sure t,? throw
Chinese working class, Under guidance of the Commu
off Mao's reactionary rule to take command of their c?u,n"
nist International and with the all-round help and sup
try's dcstiuv and build their hl'~ght and .happy soclahSl,
port of the Communist Part.y of the Soviet Union it.
future. 'Iihis condusion follows from the inexorable laws
headed the long,arduous, heroic, armed and unarmed,
of history.
legal and underground revolutionary struggle of tho Chi
nese people.
23 March 1974
Many were the splendid lighters and national heroes
who grew up in tile hitter contest for national and social
liberation in conditions of brutal white terror and ex
ceerlingly difficult revolutionary wars. Many have laid
down their lives for the riause of the P'arty and revolu
tion. May their memory live forever. ::'
Soon after the founding of the Party, during tllll
Peking-Hankow Railwaystrike of 7February !fl23 against
the abuses of the Peiyaug warlords, the strikers and
their leaders displayed t,he astonishing fearlessness and
mass heroism typical of the working class and its van
guard. After the enemyhad chopped of[ his left hand, try
ing to compel him to order ,bhe workers hack to work,
Lin Hsiang-ehlen, chairman of the Pcking-Hankow Rail
way Workers' Union, said: "You can chop off my head,
l will not order t.i1e men hack to work," Lin died a hero's
death, followed to the grave by lawyer Shih Yang, who
represented the striking workers and chose death to how
ing before his tormentors.
I'
The list cf rilll(~l1 comrades f.{ivol1 here was drawn up Irum
memory and availahlo material.
" Mao's 011'11 favourite phrase.
7
The following met a heroic rleath in 1D25-Hl27, during man of the Kwangchow Soviet govcrnment" (during the
tho memorable anti-imperialist May Thirtieth Movement Kwangchow uprising), was a member of the l'artv's
(1925) ": Ku Chen-hung, who headed the strike at Polithureau. died from overstrain; Chang Kun-ti (s{~c;'e­
Japanese-owned textile mills in Shanghai; Ho Peng-i, orga tary of the Panty's Kwangtung provincial committee) and
nisor of a dcmonstrntion ofShanghai University students; his wife W,ang Lan-ying (chief of the provincial commit
Lin Hua chairman of the General Trade Union Connell tee's women's department), who met their death side
of Shanghai, who headed a general strike of half a mil by side, showing great courage,
Iiou Shanghai workers. Treachery oand betrayal resulted in tho heroic death
And the following laid down their lives lighting na of Pong Pai, prominent peasant leader, chairman of the
tioualnnd class enemies: Chi Shu-feng, prominent econ Hei.lnfong Soviet government and member of the Party's
omist and author of the well-known book, China under Polithureuu; Yang Ying, organiser of the great Kwang
the Hobnailed Baal of Imperialism, who organised an chow-Hongkong strike, member of the Kwangchow Soviet
anti-imperialist demunstration in Wanhsie~l; Chen T,sall government, and alternate member of the Pulithurcuu
hsien chairman of the General Trade Union Council of in charge of combatting counter-revolutiou: Chang Kuo
Kiangsi province; Lo l-nung and Chao ~hih-yen, leaders shu, secretary of the Party's Kiangsi provincial commit
or the third armed unrising of Shangliui workers; Wang teo and his wife Yen Pi-fang, head of the oornrrrittcc's
Shou-hua chairman of the General Trade Union Council women's department. -
of Shangl'lai; Li Ta-chao, one of the P~rty's first the0:ists At the time of the Li Li-sen line hundreds of the Par
of Marxism-Leninism and its outstanding leader: Chiang ty's finest military and political cadres were sent to vari
Hsicn-vun, commander of a regiment consisting mostly ous large and medium cities to organise uprisings, and
of Communists, which heroically stormed and capturerl there met a heroic death, Among them were Wu Chen
tho fortress of Chengchow held by a large force of Man pen, Mao Chua-Ian, Liu Yun, Chen Chi-ko, Ho Kun-jung,
churian warlords; Kuo Liang, prominent peasant leader Wang Pu-wen, Qhen Te-chen, Hu Chin-chai, Tung Jih
in Hunan province; .lIsieu Chin-yu, popular leader of the chang, Wang Tzu-ping, Lin Chen-lsiu, and Tang Yu-kun.
women's movement, secretary of tho Party's Ilankow city Many others fell, too: Lo 'I'cng-hsicn, a popular workers'
committee and member of the Central CommiLtee; Hsiao leader and member of the Party's Politbureau; Lin Yu
Chu-nn, popular youth leader; Ma Chun, '~ lead~~ of. the nan and Li Chiu-shih, leaders of tho Chinese YCL; tho
May Fourth Movement (H1Hl), rnnmhcr of the (,1C from well-known writers Ill! Ych-piug and Jou Shih, active as
1921, worked among the Dungans,and later was secretary party cadres in literature and art; Ying FII, a young but.
of the Party's Peking city committee; the brothers Chen already famous proletarian poet; Tsai He-sen, member of
Yen-nicn and Chen Chiao-nien, both members of the the Party's Polithnreau: Yun Tai-ying, prominent orga
Party's Politbureau, arrested logell.l~r and eX9~uted nisor of the youth movement. and member of tho Party's
togothor; Chang Tai-lei, senior political and military Central Committee; Huang Kung-lush, commander of tlH'
loader of the Kwaugchow (Canton) uprising and head of 3rd Hed Army; Lu 1, political commissar of the 2nd
tho Kwangchow Soviet govcrnmell1.. member of the Red Army; Mo Ping-Ian, chief of the women's dcpartmout
Party's Central Committee, and many other comrades. of the Party's Kwangsi provincial cornmit.tee, and Iearlcr
Many comrades fell during the agrarian revolution and of the women's movement among the Chuang ethnic'
the .anli-Japauesu local war uf 1928-H137, among- thurn group: Tung Chiang-jung and Po Yang, secretaries of the
Su Chao-cheng, leader uf the big Hl~5-192(j strike in Party's Manchurian provincial committee; Ho Ssu-rnei,
Kwangtung province and Hong-kong; he was elected chair- Icadm of nnf.i-Jnpaneso gucrr-illn grollp;: in Mnnrhur-ia:
Pu Wei-yu, commander of \.lIe Shaughni workers' volun-
':. At that time Su Chno-chong was in Shanghai and, since tho
.. The names are given in chronological order according to Kwaugchow Soviet government survived for only three days,
the dale of death. did not assume office.
tner unit in the battle for Shanghai and Woosung agulnst China Bureau's organisational department, and many
the Japanese, and his deputy, Sun .Hsiao-pao; Tong nthor comrades.
Chung-hsia, a pioneer leader of the Chtnese trade ~In~on Tho following- fell in the anti-Japanese war of 1937
movement, organiser of the February Seventl~ t: Strike Hl45: Tso Cliuan, deputy chief of the 8th Army general
(1923) and of the Kwangtung and Hongkong (.192,)-1926) headquarters: Hsiang Ying. prominent workers' leader
strikes, member of the Party's Central Comm~ttee; ~~p.n and CPC Iunctionnry, deputy commander or the [ew 11th
Yun-tao, secretary of the CC CPC Bureau for.North Cll1~a Army, member of the Party's Politbureau: Yuan Kuo
and chairman of the All-China ·~'radp. Union CO~lIlr:J1; ping'. chic] of ,t.he New !teth Army's politicul department;
Huang Li, ser,mt.ary of the Party s Klangsl~ provincial Lo Ping liui and Peng Hsnch-Ieng. conunnnders uf New
and Shanghai city committees; Shen. Tse-mmg,. deputy 4th Army formations: Chang Wen-ping, secretary of the
secretary of the ITupeh-Honan-Anhwei branch of tho C~ Party's Kwangtung provincial committee. and Red Army
CPC Burenu for Soviet areas, secretary of the Party s veteran: Chen Tnn-ohiu, delegate to the lst Cnngross o'f
Hupeh-Tlonan-Anhwei provincial committel> al~d member the CPC, member of the Party's Central Auditing Com
of the Central Committee; Ho Tsu-shu. active III combat mission. and minister of food in the Cllinese ' Soviet
Ling the Li Li-sen line. a gifted orgnnisl~r of the masses; llepublic: Yang Chin-yu,couunander-in-chiel of the North
ChllO P.o-sheng, commander of t,he Herl Army's 5th Army cast Anti-Japanese Union Army and couuuanrler of the
Corps: Chi Hung-chang. conuuander of the 2nd Army Lst Army; Chao Shang-chih. deputy ccmmanrlor-in-chief
of the Chahar-Suiyuan Anti-Japanese Union Army, com and commander of the 3rd Army; Tsni Shih-jung, com
mander of t,he Iatter's northern sector, and leader of the mandcr Ill' the f.ith Army; Chao l-rnang, regimental com
North China people's anti-Japanese committee for armed missar and heroine o] ,the ant.i-Jnpancse war, nnrl many
self-defence; Nieh Erh, China's first proletarian compos other cumradcs.
er' Hsia Hsi, member of the Party's Central Committee The following llied during the cease-In-a and the libera
an'd socrotarv of the CC CPC Bureau for Soviet areas tion war of Hl4fi-H149. Prominent Party leader Chin
brunch in th~ western districts of Tlunan and Hupeh;Tsyui Pang-hsicn (Po Ku), Teng Fa, ohairman of the Statp
Tsyu-po, prominent Party functionHry. writer. and minis Political DepartmenL of t.he Chinese Soviet Hopnhli(~ alid
ter of education in the Chinese Soviet Republic; Ho Shu member of the Pol.it.huroau, Ccul.rul Comruit.tec member
crc
heng, delegate to the fst Congress of ~he and ?hiof \Vang Jo-Ioi, and commander of tho New 4th Army Yeh
of the central worker-peasant inspection of tho Chinese 'I'ing died on 8 April Hl46. Chu Jui, artillery commandor
Soviet Hepublic: Chung Yu, leader of a special (security) of the People's Liberation Army, and many other com
ce
branch unit of the CPC who displayed courage beyond rades died in H"11j7. Lo Shih-wen and Che Yao-hsiau,
compare in fighting traitors und enp;my agents:. Chien loaders of the Party's Szechuan provincial eommit,tee.
Chuang-fei. who infiltrated the ~ncm:-' s secret pol~ee and nct.ive in the united national anti-Japanese front of
performed many important services for the Party s,C~n­ Sznchuan, and many others, died ill uVt\). .
tral Committee: Fang Chih-min. founder of the Soviet This is an lucomplete list of Communists, YCLers,
area in the north-east of Kiunzsi province, commander revolutionarv workers and peasants, intelle{;tuals and stu
of the 10th Red Army: Hsun Hunt-chou. commander of dents who gave their live~ for the.lo[t~~ ide~\ls of the,re,:o
the 7th Hed Army; Ho Chang. deputy chief of the Hed Iul.iouurv struggle. Many InlerllatlOuallst~ from thl' SOylCt
Army's main political department: Lin Po-cl~ien, (~hief of Union, too, died horoically for the Clunese revolution.
the political department of the Red Army's Sth Army May their memory Live forever. .
Corps: Lin Chth-tan, commander of the Red Army's 2Gth l\'liUions or revolutionary !"Ighters inside awl out~Hle
Armv and founder of the Soviet area in the north of Ihe Partv t,ook part ,i11 the liernic 28-yeal'-long ravulution
Sherisi provinre: Tung CIH'n-tang, acting rOIllmilTlller of al'Y :-tru;rgle. ThollsHuds of lllon all(1 women were reared
the we'tem sector of the Hed Army, commander of llw ill'the Sl~'ug-glo In beeon){) tile Pnl',I,y's lClnding 1IIldeus and
5th Army Corps; Ying Chien, head of the CC cre North hackbone, As a resull., the CPC ue{;amc a Ulass party,
ere
damage to the and the I'aray-led Chinese Red Arm"
~h!~h, furthe,rrnore, built a strong revolutionary army. In the early half of 1I f t' M' .
~h,s enabled it to offer leadership to many hundreds of mil ~:\r. "c,ampat'gn for theiere,cot~ifirecsa,tionaooflatuhnecshteydleaorfeawcotirokno"J-'
l,lOlIS of people and: with all-round Soviet assistance, to 11s was directed against Marxism-Leninisnl' the Co ' .
~,~~summate .th~ Chinese r~v,olutio~. Not only did it sue "tern' a.n~I tl1:- SoVl'eL,U.m·on, and inflicted t"errible ideo1lllo1Iv1-
cessfull,Y perform the unti-impcrlulist and anti-feudal ~~lal,CV~coretlcal, ;11
T!olrtJC.al and orgaulsational damage
l'evolut~on, hut it also put China on the path of socialist. e " ,~t th~ 2nd Plenuur -oj the Seventh CPC Cen-
revolutionand the building of socialism. tral Committee In H149 Mao replaced Leninist ' I I
rl'l~ose were glorious chapters inscribed by the Com the Leninist line with the id~as< and the l\neH efa~, ane
munist Party of China and the Chinese people in tho democ,r~.<lC,~", ', In tl.I?l, at~ I"ir'ti,es a,ndc ear'ly sixties0his1!aed\V-
country's 5,000-year history, and their maznificent contri vcnturist big leap policy and the institution of people's
moveme~t,
bution to the world revolutionary commm,les sot China ana course of political reaction and
Under guidance of the Communist International and e,cononllc ban~rllptcy. The living standard and cultural
with the help of the Communist Party of the Soviet hfe,of.the Chinese people deteriorated. Then, Irorn the
Union, with Leninist internationalists in t.he vanguard, beginning of .the ~ix~ies, Mao's home and foreign policy
armed with the theory and tactics of Leninism, the Com based on anLI-Sovlet~sm and anti-communism finally led
munist Party of China won victory after victory in dif to a e~JUlltel'-rev()lu\.lOnary coup, worked by Mao under
Iercnt periods of the Chinese revolution over various anti the guise of a "cultural revolution". This counter-revolu
tionary putsch was an unheard-of calamity for Party and
Leninist ideas and lines, It overcame diificulties and ob
people, and did grave harm to the world socialist system,
stacles, and continuously grew stronger,
the world communist movement, the anti-imperialist strug
In the summer of H)27 Lhe Party grappled with the
gle, and the peace movement throughout the world.'~
right-opportunism of Chen Tu-hsiu; in the spring and
Following the "rectification of \lhe·style of work" cam
summer of 1928 it squashed the "lolt" putschist line of
paign of the forties and throughout the past 30 years,
the November 1927 Central Committee Plenum; in the
Mao twisted, distorted ami falsified the history of the
autumn of 1929 it put an end to the activity of the Trots
Communist Party of China. An editoriul article published
kyite-Chen Tu-hsiu group of liquidators (who aimed at
dissolving the Party), and in 1930-1931 it defeated the 011 1 July 1971 in Jenminjihpao, tho journal Hungchi and
semi-Trotskyite Li Li-sen line and the counter-revolution bhe newspaper Ctuehiongchiunpao, entitled "The 50th 1\11
nivorsary of the Communist Party of China", written on
ary Lo Chang-lung group. And in all periods, especially
Mao's express orders, was ia new collection of lies and
since the thirties, it continuously came to grips in long,
slanders, a now Ialsilicatlon of the history of the CPC,
intricate and difficult struggles with tho anti-Leninist,
and a further step along the COUl'SO of anti-Sovietism and
anti-Gomintern, anti-Party, anti-Soviet, and anti-people
anti-communism, "glorifying" Mao Tse-tung. Only a man
political "thoughts" and lines of Mao Tsc-tung. This and
completely devoid of shame could inspire so foolish and
only this enabled the Party to further the Chinese revo
lution and bring it to victory, as it also enabled the Peo shabby all article, Mao made no mention of the fallen
heroes of the revolution, and bhis was not accidental. The
ple's Hepublic of China to make considerable progress in
lJni~n, traitor to Party and revolution did not want-and indeed
building socialism with the aid of the Soviet
had no moral right-to honour the memory of our dead.
And yet, the victories scored by Leninist ideas and
The Maoist Ialsificatiou of the history of the CPC was
tl~e Leninist political line over the "thoughts" and line
meant to portray the victory of Lenin's ideas and the
of Mao Tse-tung in diff(!I'pnt periods of the Chinese rev
Leninist line in nhina as a triumph for the "thoughts"
olution are only one side of the picture. Th... other side
consists in crimes committed by Mao in the course of the ". To avoid repetition, I refer the reader to Lenin, Leninism,
Chin(~s(: revolution, For example. after usurping military und the Chinese Revolution, where I deal with these questions
in connection with the centenary of the great Lenin's birth.
po,~el' III ,th.e Party at the CC CPC Politbureau meeting
III I'suuyi III January 1935, Mao did unprecedented
13
aorl,iinl' ~)f Mao '1'so-tung. Thc arduous strugO'les unrl
glOI'l211:" vlrlOl'i()s of the Communisj. Pm'l,y of CI~infl and II "CAMPAIGN FOR THE RECTIFICATION
th,o Chinns« p()ople under guidRllce of the Comintorn and OF STYLE"-DRESS REHEARSAL OF
WII!l ,the aid of .Ihe Sovio]. Communist Party and Soviet THE "CULTURAL REVOI..UTION"
lJ~IJOll, were depleted by :\lao a' his own, personal doing.
lIis fal.~acious "thoughts":, line and policy were passed
off as absolutely con ed ' . Mno shifted 011 others t,he
blame for his own mistakes and crimes. and to make as
surance doubly sure systematically fabricated "crimes"
allegedly committed by his political opponents in the
Party.
By these mebhorls he sought to win credit Ior himself
and to discredit and defame others. TIc Ialsifled the his
tory of the CPC ill every conceivable manlier to depreciate
lwnLprrhowUPHaeeiefaaeiatsonvprterTneiuf'loihal'ritooaooIlnyy,cdncunrwi,timeta,ibsmaniolumesoeImnphsthndr.pacolciieaitevnrobterirachtdcnoayesohollero'iuiualmctsintsMhntnothCtimideustoeapooarunoounnmysupaitiwdnc.seuienrirmnemvrTstod.e-rlletporeh,oerlennvrepMtoevuonlane,at3osma,ho,rtyluicertfauoaixeoanrrestnnnpaidmtosisudtorm.malsn"eodutcaat-fiaTshLop"urtckcyihpoetrleneeirtteirnnouhgusmoScinereupanooaoarkiehviultrasaeidiicpgpmeroteirO.orntsnaes'IeligI.evsoinTaTrUdtw-oucliashItmnclhrgtnicuiaethhipeeohtrolitrftimsenmhouy1,ap,fnleaec1lfoG0o"ntawnafe6cg,Sutnard"oeadnov,dMr,ueiatvontrinehaihhfusitesdrneyooeee rtt cowUndaftttAohofuhnoaaStrueTuaidts1niSntmh9otrwgRhs<coeen.'uit1hfecila1obmi.tclatfIiceaoIfhnuhIienmr'sHdencddi1artptiih4reniuntatloeie1hlaaiolfigtetteatnhhMthietndohaieetonadvtoel0fooeamCs1f1slstbChoTmitphumeleiotselmmagdhocmrCjuaes-wmoItfnerHt.r'ouyiyeCrSCinrnltri,eCygongcsfafhetoohonOCtlatfubo1edIhiIll9oJraewm'Cm4cbktytookh5haaaerdsu,ueegukanndrw"utombvtsNu,aoifea-mftraagtsnhfdzlnetrnittirhnaecahforregngiee'ovme"ioeafet~nScdCitaogotIpP1tdlativfrhl9onCiceieoes:e)ptklpfthl8btamilaa,entuirohugiAciawlnIltinettindrnuhitmamtoptaie1hbrncesy0'urnyoyh1e, s '
opon],v took the road 0f nationaI betrayal, secking I'llp riods:
prcrvocolaileimngenhtisantrd-nocofoapceer,atsiooncawreiftuhllyimcpocnricaelaisletdfofrocresmaanndy 1) the preparatory period (Sopteruber HM.1-February
194~);
yoTuros,utnodtehrsetawnhdoletdreworrelads.on for the lall and disgrace of ~) the period of the "ructificntion of style" campaign
Mao Tso-tuug, we must ill addition to what has already propel' (February 19/12-July Ifl43);
been said examine more closelv the historical roots of 3) the period of "emergency salvation" (July 1943
his betrayal, (01' they, and llIoi'e specifically his "earn summer of 1944);
paign Ior the rectification of the style of work" in the II) the period of "seli-rciutations and rehabilitation"
forties, have Rdirect and close boaring on current events. (summer of 1944-spring of 1945);
Atciuosmnl"ap.tapr:1Sg'oud.ewvteoalsopuamnddeernretssstsasnhredohweetahdre,sath"licosufl"trtuehrceatlt"ficcruaevlttiooulnruatoilofnrse"tyyolwleu"e of5l)H11th5)e, "summing-up period" (spring of 19/1;)-SUrnmer
must have a «lear idea of this campaign.
I~
l. TnE PREPARATORY FIRST PERIOD
OF THE "STYLE RECTIFICATION" Lines" (which included documents of the Party's leadtnz
CAMPAIGN ~odies and the works of some Parl.y leaders·-Mao in th~
til'S1 pl~l:e,. Wang Ming, Po Ku and Lo Fu). The purpose
of p.l~blIs.lllng these collections in the COurse of the "style
During this period l\1ao iuade the following provisional ~',ect1ficatlO~l campaign" was to bring home the idea that
moves:
only Maos w~rks are correct, while all other documents
and works are incorroct".
1) By means of intrigues and compulsion
From September Hl41 on, in private conversaliolls with
he suspended all Party periodicals in Yenan m~illbers of the Politbureau, Mao ofton referred to his
plan of creating Maoism. Here is the content of one of
These included the CC CPC newspaper Hsinchunghuapuo
Mac's convorsations with me:
(New China), the CC CPC journals Chiehfang (Libera
"Comrade Wang Ming, I waut to create Maoism. What
tion) and Kungchuntangjen. (Communist), the journal of
Isyour opinion on this score?"
the CC CPCWomen's Committee Chungkuojunii (Chinese "For what purpose?"
crc
Woman), tile journal of the CC Youth Committee ."If a leador has no 'ism' of his own, he can be over
Chungkuochingnien (China Youth), and the literary jour thrown during his lifetime,and may even be attacked alter
nal of the CC CPC Chungkuourenhua (Chinese Culture): rleath, ·With an 'ism' the situation is different. Marx has
These periodicals were suspended because they were con Marxism and though the Second International split into
trolled hy Wang Ming, 1.0 Fu (Chang Wen-Lien}. and many groups, none dared to go against Marx and Marx
Kai Feng. Only the journal of the 8th Houte Army, di .lsan. Lenin has Leninism and though there were many
rectly controlled by Mao, continued to appear, and a new :!;~l'O:1APS and currents in the Third International and the
daily, Chiehjanr;jihpao (Liberation), was Iounrled, also .Bolshevik Party, none acted openly against Lenin and
completely under his control. Leninism. Sun Yat-sen has Sun Yat-senism and though
\tJlere is turmoil and a great number of groups in the
2) He closed down educational establishments Kuomintang, none dares to go against Sun Yat-sen and
Sun Yat-senism. .If I do not create my own 'ism', I may
Mao removed the Anti-Japanese Milttary-Polltlcal School be overthrown even though the 7th CPC Congress elects
aIll) tile North Shensi Institute to lhe Shansi-Chahar me chairman of the Central Committee."
Hopeh Border Area, while the Yenan Women's Univer I replied: . .
sity and the Courses for Youth Cadres were dissolved lilt is not true that an 'ism' is f.I guarantee against baing
because Mao feared that the revolutionary youth enrolled (Jvrn1Ju own. Indeed, if the 'ism' is wrong, one.ca,T! fa~l
in thcm would oppose I~he campaign for the "rectification very .quickly. Trotsky and Chen Tu-hsiu had their Isms ,
of the style of work". The Central Party School and the but didn't they both come a cropper? Like the communist
lnsl.il.uLe of Marxism-Leninism were nominally left intact, parties of other countries, the Communist Party of China
but cadres were being concentrated there to '(;onuuct the is guided by Mal'Xism-Leninism. Why 'stoke a separate
"style rectification" campaign. furnace' and create an 'ism'?" . " .
"By creating Maoism 1 shall preserve Marxism, sal.d
Mao Tsc-tung. "All I reject is L.eninism. .My approach IS
3) He eounterposed Maoism to Leninism
.the following: Leninism is RUSSian Marxism, a blend .of
III tite early half of lIH1, Mao ordered the publication of the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete pr,a~tlCe
SlUl~ed
11 collection entitled, "Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin on .of tho Russian revolution; Maoism is Chinese or.
~hi.na" (which included some Cornintern documents}. 'Marxism, a blend or the universal truth of ~lar~lsm With
I'his was followed by a second collection, "From the .the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.
lith CPC Cungress to Our Day", later renamed "Two I tried to explain:
IG ,.,