Questions About Maoism

[Skyhilist]

Hey, so this post isn't an attempt to refute Maoism or promote any tendency in general. This is just me inquiring about the specifics of Maoist beliefs, so please don't take it any other way. I have met a lot of people who consider themselves Maoists in college and it has prompted me to at least want to learn more about Maoism even if I don't agree with it. Please note that when I saw "Maoists" I'm not including Third Worldists.

So here are my main questions:

1) What are most modern-day Maoists' views on the utility of protracted people's war in first world countries? It's my understanding that the main idea behind this military strategy is to start in really rural areas where battles are very winnable and then work up to more urbanized areas. Do most Maoists believe this to still be applicable even in first world countries that don't really have very remote/isolated areas, and if so, how?

2) It's my understanding that it's a very common misconception that Maoism is reverence for everything that Mao did. From what I've read it seems that Maoists are often critical in fact of at least some of Mao's actions. What are some of the more common actions of Mao that modern-day Maoists criticize (if anything)?

3) What specific things about Mao's actions do Maoists find useful/applicable to revolution in the first world? To me it would seem that many of his actions, if they did carry utility, did so because of the specific circumstances of what China was like at the time. Which of Mao's actions/ideas do Maoists generally see as being applicable towards a revolution occurring in the first world, and what is the reasoning behind this?

4) Do most modern day Maoists view droughts and poor weather being the sole causes of the Great Chinese Famine, or do they believe the policies of The Great Leap Forward were also to culpable to any extent?

5) It seems that one of the biggest things stressed by Maoism is rapid industrialization. To me this part of Mao's philosophy once again doesn't seem to applicable to the first world at least, but do most Maoists think so, and if so, why? Also, rapid industrialization has historically been associated with a terrible environmental impact - how do Maoists envision this being prevented in the future if "rapid industrialization" ever takes place in today's third world countries as a result of people aligned with Mao's ideas?

6) Most Maoists seem to believe that capitalism was restored in China after Mao's death, by Deng. Do modern day Maoists envision any specific safeguards in future revolutions that would ensure that after their first leader died someone more reactionary would take over (as has been the case countless times now)?

7) Given the fact that China under Mao contained money, a state, and wage labor, and lack of working class control over production, it falls outside of many if not most radicals' definitions of socialism. In spite of this, Maoists and other MLs generally disagree and say that China under Mao was socialist. What specific characteristics about China under Mao cause modern day Maoists to consider China socialist under him?

Thanks in advance.

[Skyhilist]

No Maoists who wanna help me out here? :/

[Celtic_0ne]

not a Maoist

but i think the reason for protracted peoples war was because of Maos dedication to farmers because well China didnt really have anything else hence the extreme industrialization to catch up with the rest of the world. however it seems that despite that reason the basic strategy of starting in a rural area is still applicable because its easier to get away with at the beggining so i would say that its a very good idea even now.
but it would be great if an actual Maoist was here...

[John Nada]

Not a Maoist, but I'll try to answer.
1) What are most modern-day Maoists' views on the utility of protracted people's war in first world countries? It's my understanding that the main idea behind this military strategy is to start in really rural areas where battles are very winnable and then work up to more urbanized areas. Do most Maoists believe this to still be applicable even in first world countries that don't really have very remote/isolated areas, and if so, how?Protracted People's War consist of first building a popular united front, bases, and guerrilla war zones. In addition to rural bases being isolation from the imperialist in the city, farms have food and the peasantry as a class ally. Then wear down the enemy with small battles and skirmishes and achieving a stalemate. Lastly the counteroffensive is launched. This strategy is widely studied among modern military, security and police, even in the first world.
2) It's my understanding that it's a very common misconception that Maoism is reverence for everything that Mao did. From what I've read it seems that Maoists are often critical in fact of at least some of Mao's actions. What are some of the more common actions of Mao that modern-day Maoists criticize (if anything)?I would guess not purging Deng and shaking hands with Nixon.
3) What specific things about Mao's actions do Maoists find useful/applicable to revolution in the first world? To me it would seem that many of his actions, if they did carry utility, did so because of the specific circumstances of what China was like at the time. Which of Mao's actions/ideas do Maoists generally see as being applicable towards a revolution occurring in the first world, and what is the reasoning behind this?After Vietnam kicked the US and France's asses, police, businesses, reactionaries and military around the world studied and even recuperated a lot of the theories from People's war. You can see it in the whole "hearts and minds" shit.
4) Do most modern day Maoists view droughts and poor weather being the sole causes of the Great Chinese Famine, or do they believe the policies of The Great Leap Forward were also to culpable to any extent?I don't know enough to be able to answer that.
5) It seems that one of the biggest things stressed by Maoism is rapid industrialization. To me this part of Mao's philosophy once again doesn't seem to applicable to the first world at least, but do most Maoists think so, and if so, why? Also, rapid industrialization has historically been associated with a terrible environmental impact - how do Maoists envision this being prevented in the future if "rapid industrialization"" ever takes place in today's third world countries as a result of people aligned with Mao's ideas?I could be wrong, but the impression I get is that they would have LOVE to have had a revolution with much of the infrastructure of the imperialist nations already there. A big part of the revolution and war effort was building basic infrastructure
.6) Most Maoists seem to believe that capitalism was restored in China after Mao's death, by Deng. Do modern day Maoists envision any specific safeguards in future revolutions that would ensure that after their first leader died someone more reactionary would take over (as has been the case countless times now)?I don't know much about their thoughts on this, but reading Deng's work showed me that there was not one Marxist bone in his body. He was a nationalist to the core and probably an opportunist who saw the Chinese Communist Party as a vehicle for advancement, rather than to advance the international proletarian revolution. Closer to Bernstein or Yeltsin, only a bit more effective. Maybe not let Dengites get that much influence?
7) Given the fact that China under Mao contained money, a state, and wage labor, and lack of working class control over production, it falls outside of many if not most radicals' definitions of socialism. In spite of this, Maoists and other MLs generally disagree and say that China under Mao was socialist. What specific characteristics about China under Mao cause modern day Maoists to consider China socialist under him?I like to know when China under Mao declared the victory of socialist construct. Read stuff that talks about the state capitalist phase for development and going down the socialist road. I'll have to look into their economy more, though that's hard to do with all that "Mao personally killed 100000 trillion babies with his bare hands, capitalism rules!" type shit written making up the bulk of it.Not sure.:confused:

[Anglo-Saxon Philistine]

5) It seems that one of the biggest things stressed by Maoism is rapid industrialization. To me this part of Mao's philosophy once again doesn't seem to applicable to the first world at least, but do most Maoists think so, and if so, why? Also, rapid industrialization has historically been associated with a terrible environmental impact - how do Maoists envision this being prevented in the future if "rapid industrialization" ever takes place in today's third world countries as a result of people aligned with Mao's ideas?

I'm not sure this can be understood as a part of the Maoist ideology, to be honest. Mao wasn't like Falkner-Smit, writing panegyrics to industry for industry's sake. But the fact was, China had a certain number of people that had to be fed, clothed and so on, all without significant reliance of the world market. Industrialisation was overseen by a bureaucracy - but even in the most democratic state the workers would vote to eat, no matter what foreign environmentalists feel about it.

[Illegalitarian]

I'm in a rush so this will be horribly unpolished:



1) What are most modern-day Maoists' views on the utility of protracted people's war in first world countries? It's my understanding that the main idea behind this military strategy is to start in really rural areas where battles are very winnable and then work up to more urbanized areas. Do most Maoists believe this to still be applicable even in first world countries that don't really have very remote/isolated areas, and if so, how?


PPW was a military strategy formulated for and applied to mostly agrarian, underdeveloped nations, with great success for the most part. It is not a strategy meant for the developed first world, so no, no Maoist advocates guerrilla warfare rural based warfare for nations that are not greatly rural.


2) It's my understanding that it's a very common misconception that Maoism is reverence for everything that Mao did. From what I've read it seems that Maoists are often critical in fact of at least some of Mao's actions. What are some of the more common actions of Mao that modern-day Maoists criticize (if anything)?

Great Man-ism is a plague that affects mostly young people who are getting into Marxist-Leninism. We do not hold Mao or anyone else up to be some infallible god-king to be followed to the letter, we just hold to the idea that his theoretical contributions to Marxism were both highly practical and more suited for an ever-developing world with even more dynamic and nuanced class relations to the means of production.


As for Mao's personal failures, you'll rarely get the same answer out of two different people. Some accept Deng's assessment of 70% good and 30% bad, others say it was more like 80/20. I think 70/30 seems fair to me.

I think his abrupt split with the Soviets over ideological reasons was a massive mistake in the middle of a rapid period of industrialization and a good testament to accusations against Mao of not fully grasping the usefulness of tactical pragmatism in foreign policy.

I would also count the Cultural-Revolution as a mess that could have been far more successful than it really was with a bit more oversight, but that lack of oversight caused needless deaths and a gross neglect of economic growth, and that is unacceptable.



3) What specific things about Mao's actions do Maoists find useful/applicable to revolution in the first world? To me it would seem that many of his actions, if they did carry utility, did so because of the specific circumstances of what China was like at the time. Which of Mao's actions/ideas do Maoists generally see as being applicable towards a revolution occurring in the first world, and what is the reasoning behind this?

Mass line, the idea that any sort of communist revolution has to be centered around the needs of the masses, whose needs and myriad of ideas are discussed and perceived from the perspective of Marxism and returned to the masses as a revolutionary communist strategy. It incorporates the masses in every aspect of revolutionary decision-making and eliminates blanquist vanguardism.

People's War and Mao's particular focus on combating imperialism against the underdeveloped world, which he saw as the main source of world revolution, are also important lessons to be taken into consideration.


I think cultural revolution is also a given, that is, the idea of realigning the base in order support the superstructure. Can't very well have a new society where old ideas are still prevalent, if the majority of people do not support revolution it will not happen.


4) Do most modern day Maoists view droughts and poor weather being the sole causes of the Great Chinese Famine, or do they believe the policies of The Great Leap Forward were also to culpable to any extent?

I'm not sure about drought, but the flooding of the yellow river was one of the worst natural disasters in Chinese history, killed thousands and destroyed countless acres of farmland, which absolutely contributed a lot to the famine, but the focus on industrialization above all else, the mass executions of sparrows and the lack of farming equipment caused by the Sino-Soviet split and the lack of farming tools brought on by the back-yard furnace project was definitely a factor.


5) It seems that one of the biggest things stressed by Maoism is rapid industrialization. To me this part of Mao's philosophy once again doesn't seem to applicable to the first world at least, but do most Maoists think so, and if so, why? Also, rapid industrialization has historically been associated with a terrible environmental impact - how do Maoists envision this being prevented in the future if "rapid industrialization" ever takes place in today's third world countries as a result of people aligned with Mao's ideas?

Environmentally-conscious urban development is a must, one only needs to look at modern China to see how industrialization unbothered by environmental regulation can go wrong.



6) Most Maoists seem to believe that capitalism was restored in China after Mao's death, by Deng. Do modern day Maoists envision any specific safeguards in future revolutions that would ensure that after their first leader died someone more reactionary would take over (as has been the case countless times now)?


Had the cultural revolution been more successful any sort of potential agents of capital would certainly not have been a problem, in fact most were eliminated in those days.. problem is, so were a bunch of people that didn't do anything wrong, which only created a bigger base for restoration to rear its ugly head.


I think the best safeguard at all though is to build a stable society that isn't dependent on this leader or that leader, but rather, a stable base, and thus a regulated superstructure unable to try grab for any such power. Again, this was almost the case due to the horribly applied Maoist cultural revolution, a less senselessly violent and carefully implemented cultural shift would have likely saw any such attempts at restoration crash and burn for sure.




7) Given the fact that China under Mao contained money, a state, and wage labor, and lack of working class control over production, it falls outside of many if not most radicals' definitions of socialism. In spite of this, Maoists and other MLs generally disagree and say that China under Mao was socialist. What specific characteristics about China under Mao cause modern day Maoists to consider China socialist under him?

Money and a state do not define socialism, relations to the means of production does.

Most workers in China did not own the means of production, but they certainly controlled production and distribution, and they also had access to the fruits of their labor as well, and what they didn't have access to was invested into free education, healthcare, housing and every other basic need required to survive. Money certainly existed, but it did not serve the same function it does in western societies, as people did not need it to survive, using it only to buy cheap consumer goods that were not necessities, but rather wants.