On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party

by Mao Zedong

Genres: Politics, Theory

19 pages, Paperback

Published December 19, 1929

About the author

Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung, and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, statesman and leader of the Chinese Revolution. He was the architect and founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949, and held control over the nation until his death in 1976. His theoretical contribution to Marxism–Leninism, along with his military strategies and brand of policies, are collectively known as Maoism.

Mao rose to power by commanding the Long March, forming a Second United Front with Kuomintang (KMT) during the Second Sino-Japanese War to repel a Japanese invasion, and later led the Communist Party of China (CPC) to victory against Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's KMT in the Chinese Civil War. Mao established political and military control over most of the territory formerly contained within the Chinese Empire and launched a campaign to suppress counterrevolutionaries. He sent the Communist People's Liberation Army into Xinjiang and Tibet but was unable to oust the remnants of the Nationalist Party from Taiwan. He enacted sweeping land reform by using violence and terror to overthrow landlords before seizing their large estates and dividing the land into people's communes. The Communist Party's final victory came after decades of turmoil in China, which included the Great Depression, a brutal invasion by Japan and a protracted civil war. Mao's Communist Party ultimately achieved a measure of stability in China, though Mao's efforts to close China to trade and market commerce, and eradicate traditional Chinese culture, have been largely rejected by his successors.

Mao styled himself "The Great Helmsman" and supporters continue to contend that he was responsible for some positive changes which came to China during his three decade rule. These included doubling the school population, providing universal housing, abolishing unemployment and inflation, increasing health care access, and dramatically raising life expectancy. A cult of personality grew up around Mao, and community dissent was not permitted. His Communist Party still rules in mainland China, retains control of media and education there and officially celebrates his legacy. As a result, Mao is still officially held in high regard by many Chinese as a great political strategist, military mastermind, and savior of the nation. Maoists promote his role as a theorist, statesman, poet, and visionary, and anti-revisionists continue to defend most of his policies.

Reviews

[Hungry Rye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to try reviewing this in the morning I’m too high rn but man spoke bars fr. Ily mao. Come back and save me from this capitalist hellscape.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting general view of Mao's thoughts on correct policy. General in the sense that it is relatively short and the details for implementation of "correction" is very vague. I assume the details were worked out through "democratic centralism" at the party meetings. I wonder if there are transcripts of some of these? In terms of the "mistaken ideas," the description is actually very specific.

[Juhyundred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short read with practical assessments + solutions to problems in the Fourth Red Army. Not really a treatise on opportunism, ultra-democracy/individualism and putschism, which are its main focuses. But these are covered in other works

[kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goes hand in hand with combat liberalism. I would read this alongside another text to see these concepts in action (either outside of the Red Army or read more about the historical context in which this text was written). Ultimately, it’s most helpful to correct ideas through organization!!!

[The Dude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, imagine having this precision in your ability to diagnose an issue, find it's source and then give a prognosis on how to treat the issue.

Like in a way it is actually very simple, but he is so precise in this work. Something that I think everyone should wish to be able to replicate.

[Boy Dyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great military science in this one, integrating the red army into practical politics. Not something you see from lefty polemics very often.

[Rodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5. Pobre Kuomintang; este tipo sabia realmente o que fazia em termos de disciplina militar.