Mao Quote

[KC]

I'm currently reading Mao's Five Essays on Philosophy which includes his essay "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People". I came across this quote recently and thought it would be interesting to have a discussion on how this quote has been applicable to China at different times and also what others think about the quote in general. Anyways, here it is:


In advocating freedom with leadership and democracy under centralized guidance, we in no way mean that coercive measures should be taken to settle ideological questions or questions involving the distinction between right and wrong among the people. All attempts to use administrative orders or coercive measures to settle ideological questions or questions of right and wrong are not only ineffective but harmful. We cannot abolish religion by administrative order or force people not to believe in it. We cannot compel people to give up idealism, any more than we can force them to embrace Marxism. The only way to settle questions of an ideological nature or controversial issues among the people is by the democratic method, the method of discussion, criticism, persuasion and education, and not by the method of coercion or repression.

[RNK]

I think the spirit of this quote was lost after Deng's coup. Contrary to popular belief, Mao was very untotalitarian; he pushed for a minimalized government and his involvement in the cultural revolution fits with this quote. He pushed for the people to throw off the yoke of beauraucracy and manage their own society; unsuccessfully, of course. Although I do have to say that I disagree with that move, as I don't think that China was ready to embrace a stateless, classless society, free from a centralized government, at that time. Today, maybe. But I feel it was premature on his part. But perhaps it was necessary; given the Communist Party's ability to survive that attempt at even such an early stage hints at the fact that waiting longer would've allowed the state authority to further entrench itself into Chinese society as it did in the Soviet Union.

As for the literal content of the quote, I do agree with him, partially. I do believe that some manner of control is necessary in order to thwart attempts at counter-revolutionary activity from anti-communist elements in society; we can't simply banish capitalism and then allow would-be capitalists to continue expropriating unequal shares of society's commodities without stopping them; or allow armed reactionaries to go unopposed. Though I don't think that's what he meant. I believe that the spirit of the message is that totalitarian attempts to force society to embrace inequality are fruitless; we must spread equality through education and empowerment of the people, not by ordering them to follow the vanguard's lead.

[Janus]

Contrary to popular belief, Mao was very untotalitarian; he pushed for a minimalized government and his involvement in the cultural revolution fits with this quote.
That's open to debate. Mao was certainly much more "liberal" during his initial years as a communist but this gradually changed through his rise to power. I think the quote shows one of the areas in which Mao didn't practice what he taught.