Astrid Ronaldson > Quotes

“The best way is to exercise twice a day — on getting up and before going to bed — in the nude; the next best way is to wear light clothes. Too much clothing impedes movement. If one does this daily, the idea of exercise is continually present and never interrupted. Today's exercise is a continuation of yesterday's exercise and thus leads to tomorrow's exercise. The individual exercise periods need not be long; thirty minutes are sufficient. In this way, a certain interest will naturally arise. Secondly, perseverance in exercise can create pleasure.”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1

“But Marxism emphasizes the importance of theory precisely and only because it can guide action”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 2

“The laws for directing war constitute the art of swimming in the ocean of war.”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1

“The more profound the oppression, the greater its resistance; that which has accumulated for a long time will surely burst forth quickly.”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1

“If we study history, we find that all the movements that have occurred in the course of history, of whatever type may be, have all without exception resulted from the union of a certain number of people. A greater movement naturally requires a greater union, and the greatest movement requires the greatest union. All such unions are more likely to appear in a time of reform and resistance…. That which decides between victory and defeat is the solidity or weakness of the union and whether the ideology that serves as its basis is new or old, true or false....”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1

“When we say Marxism is correct, it is certainly not because Marx was a "prophet" but because his theory has been proved correct in our practice and in our struggle. We need Marxism in our struggle. In our acceptance of his theory no such formalisation of mystical notion as that of "prophecy" ever enters our minds. Many who have read Marxist books have become renegades from the revolution, whereas illiterate workers often grasp Marxism very well. Of course we should study Marxist books, but this study must be integrated with our country's actual conditions. We need books, but we must overcome book worship, which is divorced from the actual situation.”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1

“The most ridiculous person in the world is the "know all" who picks up a smattering of hearsay knowledge and proclaims himself "the world's Number One authority"; this merely shows that he has not taken a proper measure of himself.”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 2

“Last autumn, a certain Kushan student who had studied in Japan, by the name of Chow Shui-p'ing, returned to this village. (Chou had first graduated from Wuhsi provincial Teachers' College). He could not bear the sight (of such oppression), and encouraged the tenant farmers to organize into a body called the 'Tenant Farmers' Cooperative Self-help Society'. Chou moved from village to village speaking with tears in his eyes of the sufferings of the peasants. A large number of Kushan peasants followed him, and those in the neighbouring areas of Chiangyin, Shangshu, and Wuhsi hsien were all inflamed. They rose like clouds and opposed the rich but heartless big landlords, and with one voice demanded the reduction of rent.”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1

“There is a further point pertaining to my doubts about anarchism. My argument pertains not merely to the impossibility of a society without power or organization. I should like to mention only the difficulties in the way of the establishment of such form of society and of its final attainment.... For all the reasons just stated, my present viewpoint on absolute liberalism, anarchism, and even democracy is that these things are fine in theory, but not feasible in practice....”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1

“If we have a correct theory but merely prate about it, pigeonhole it and do not put it into practice, then that theory, however good, is of no significance.”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 2

“If a thing is to be put into practice, one must first take pleasure in it. One must understand in detail the whys and the wherefores. To know in detail the whys and the wherefores is self-awareness. People generally do not know the interrelation between exercise and themselves — or they may know it in general terms but not intimately....”
― Astrid Ronaldson, Mao Zedong: The Complete Works Volume 1