Critique of Maoist Reason

New Roads #5

by J. Moufawad-Paul

Utilizing the term “critique” in the philosophical sense implied by Kant, Sartre, Mbembe, and others, J. Moufawad-Paul offers an exacting analysis of the different trends that emerged out of the victory, development, and ultimate defeat of the Chinese revolution. Markedly and intentionally different from a polemic, Critique of Maoist Reason is a text for all who consider themselves “Maoists,” as it clarifies and contextualizes various modes of thought within or associated with Maoism. Moufawad-Paul’s latest contribution satisfies its intention to sharpen Maoist thinking through rigorous investigation.

J. Moufawad-Paul’s Critique of Maoist Reason is an important book which should be interesting and useful even for non-Maoist leftists. However, the study of this book is essential for Maoists, since it paints a comprehensive picture of the whole international Maoist movement and its different divisions and tendencies; this, and similar efforts that help clarify the situation, can and must contribute to the struggle for uniting the international Maoist movement. Although some of this book’s issues warrant further discussion–which comes with anything new that is worth discussion–I recommend this book to all Maoists and non-Maoists.
—Zia, Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan

Genres: Philosophy, Theory, Politics, Nonfiction

118 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2020

Reviews

[Leo46 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hate me if you want, but at first, I thought this work would make a mockery out of its title (referring to the homage to Kant and Sartre's "Critiques") as the nuanced, gargantuan works of philosophy it is symbolically comparing itself to are not accessible feats anyone can do. However, JMP (author) proves to be a well-versed philosopher and theorist in his own right pitting himself in the position to be the more clear, direct theorist of Maoism as philosophy (or in the theoretical terrain of class struggle). He proves not only to be well-read in revolutionary literature but canonical philosophy as a whole, which serves him well when reconstructing his arguments about MLM being a science, Marxism & Marxism-Leninism's halts in the field and history of science (Althusser-inflected analyses and proto-Maoism), and arguing against directly oppositional stances of Marxist science (Foucault's stance on discourse). He dedicates the first 2 chapters to contextualizing what he's argued in the past in "Continuity and Rupture" and MLM as science as mentioned before.
5 types of Maoist reason:
-post-Maoism like RCP-USA
-Maoist Third Worldism (MTW)
-Marxism-Leninism-Maoism (MLM)
-MLMpM (...principally Maoism)* *JMP's agreement towards
-other (people who believe Maoism is the 3rd universal stage of revolution but reject PCP-RIM)

In chapter 3, he traces back the origin of Maoism through 3 main tendencies of the anti-revisionist MLs (Mao Zedong Thought-MZT), eclectic proto-Maoists like UCFml, and the Maoism-qua-Maoism that JMP clearly agrees with most with from the PCP-aligned RIM sequence (e.g., CPI(Maoist)). Chapter 4 was very interesting and fruitful where he explains the collision of revisionism and dogmatic thinking creating the Communist theology of lip service to Marxism/ML and the hatred of intellectuals (he also critiques "destiny" and finishes with a short part on contradictions). Then, the 5th chapter is where I think the crux of JMP's analysis resides where he presents MTW and critiques it because the logic for net-exploitation is dangerously empirically positivist and that MTW always manifests from the angle of the first world, taking on a strangely distanced, voyeuristic angle to the third world (in both the lack of things the former can do and the deep positing of the third-world movements with full responsibility of the revolutionary movement). Chapter 7 is a summary but is much more charitable on MTW and its implications for actual revolution. And, chapter 6 is an amazing exposition on what Right and Left Opportunism actually mean to the most detail that I've ever read; I specifically appreciated the view of Left-Opportunism as an overcorrection of Right Opportunism.

Overall, this is a phenomenal read as an introduction to the nitty-gritty of Maoist theory (from the perspective of a non-Maoist ML [me], as of now) that is going to make me learn backward as this work kind of assumes the knowledge of Continuity and Rupture.

[Spooky Socialist · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Finally, thanks to all the dogmatists, eclecticists, chauvinists, and revisionists and opportunists of all kinds within the movement without whom the book would not have been written. Thought advances through contradiction; a political line becomes clearer--revolutionary theory becaomes sharper--in the midst of struggle"

A fantastic work that demarcates the differences among five variants of Maoism: post-Maoism, Maoist Third Worldism, Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, Marxism-Leninism-Maoism principally Maoism, and a nebulous form of Maoism. Continuing his work from Continuity and Rupture J. Moufawad-Paul takes seriously the proclamation of Marxism as a science and what it means for Marxists.

Analyzing each variant through the lens of dogmatism, eclecticism, left opportunism, and right opportunism, Moufawad-Paul skillfully breaks down each variant and the various pitfalls involved in each. His chapter on Maoist Third Worldism was my personal favorite, bringing theoretical clarity to a Maoist tendency I felt somewhat sympathetic towards. His simple explanations of complex and niche political theory is always a breath of fresh air from wordy polemics and his serious treatment of the subject at hand will always earn my respect as a political theorist.

[Joma Geneciran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this work.

JMP traces five traditions within the broader Maoist terrain. Lots to think through here but to me, the primary principle is key:

"The point, here, is that we should be able to judge what variant of Maoism is the correct variant according to the principle of making revolution. For reasons of simplicity we will call this principle the primary principle and assess what variants of Maoist reason are best equipped to satisfy its demands." -p. 102

[Gage Hoefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a bit annoyed that some of the arguments Moufawad-Paul makes are not expressed in detail, but rather referenced to in earlier works of his; I was unaware that if I wanted the full development of his critique at times, I would have to read other books entirely. I thought the argument put forward that historical materialism is a legitimate science (against Karl Popper's critiques about the supposed "unverifiability" of Marxism) was cogent, and the critiques of Maoist-Third-Worldism as ultimately failed/theoretically incoherent due to the internal contradictions that arise from it being a movement entirely conceptualized by first worldists was very good. The rest left me a little underwhelmed.

[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between 3.5 and 4

["No Malarkey" Zachary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The move to imminent critique within Moufawad-Paul's own Maoist tradition makes this one more insightful and better written than some of his earlier works; the tendency to repetition is still there, but mercifully less aggravating (and better copy-edited) than in, say, Continuity and Rupture. But whether it's a matter of security culture anxiety or simply just philosophical disciplinary stubbornness, JMP's allergy to sustained engagement with actual historical and empirical materials beyond organizational statements and polemics sometimes make the stakes of his argument feel more rhetorical than substantive. (Seriously, the histories in India, Nepal, the Philippines, and elsewhere are fascinating! Don't be afraid of the social sciences!)

It's curious that, while this is probably my favourite of the three JMP books I've read, it's only with this one that I have really been able to identify what it is that most frustrates me about his project: I just don't think that his insistence on cleanly delineating a formal stageist trajectory of Marxist science is that important. It might be interesting on its own terms, but analyzing the most significant and usual developments of the Maoist tradition, such as the mass line, really doesn't require us to say definitively whether "Maoism-qua-Maoism" split from Leninism in Peru, the Philippines, or the nebulous underground debates of an underground proto-International. (And to return to my earlier point, if this intellectual/political history is a primary concern for you, go to the archives and let's do the history!) That said, I am curious to see where he goes with his forthcoming book on economism; I'm hopeful that its specificity will build on the more engaging political elements of this work and set aside the strained transpositions of Thomas Kuhn.

[Kaleb Guy Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Come with me and you'll see a book full of self-citations

Chapters 5 and 6 are great. As someone with "third-worldist" sympathies, his critiques are important to consider and integrate. Some of the other contributions seem semantic and do not push the Maoist position further in a significant way. Lastly, I am suspicious of the positionality of a white Maoist in the imperial core. However, this is an informal objection and it does not bear directly on the content of his argument. The strength of the book is the formalization of Maoist thought and his suggestion of using falsifiability as a necessary criterion of Maoism.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was brief, i got a free pdf copy from their website, i was able to do TTS along with it & therefore was able to finish over the course of a day basically.

Helps clarify a lot of what the various schools of thought within maoism are. Helped explain what being a science means. Helped explain how thirdworldism is racist.

[Kern Sus · Rating 5 out of 5]

JMP lists the different types of Maoism that have emerged since the death of Mao and goes through how to separate the dogmatic from the revisionist and reach a Maoism that is truly scientific and able to wage revolution and achieve communism. Read it and organise!