Quotessence
Home / Authors / Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong Quotes

Former Chairman of the Communist Party of China

Filter quotes by topic

AllPeopleIfsShouldWarStruggleMassRevolutionClassChinaCommunismCommunistEnemyArmyPartySocialismRevolutionaryWorldChineseReactionariesStudy

Famous Mao Zedong Quotes

“We must draw up a plan for the formation of such a corps with several million people taking up the study of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, the theoretical basis of Marxism, and combating all shades of idealism and mechanical materialism. At present there are many cadres doing theoretical work, but there is still no corps of theoretical workers, much less a powerful one. Without such a corps, the cause of the entire Party, the socialist industrialization and socialist transformation of our country, the modernization of our national defence and our research in atomic energy cannot move along or succeed. I therefore recommend that you comrades read philosophy.”

PhilosophySocialismCommunismMarxismMaoDialecticsDialectical Materialism
Book:Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung: Volume V
Create image

“Unless you have investigated a problem, you will be deprived of the right to speak on it. Isn't that too harsh? Not in the least. When you have not probed into a problem, into the present facts and its past history, and know nothing of its essentials, whatever you say about it will undoubtedly be nonsense. Talking nonsense solves no problems, as everyone knows, so why is it unjust to deprive you of the right to speak?”

ChinaSocialismCommunismDogmatismChairman MaoMao Zedong ThoughtMarxism LenisimModern China
Author:Mao Zedong
Create image

“The socialist system will eventually replace the capitalist system; this is an objective law independent of man's will. However much the reactionaries try to hold back the wheel of history, eventually revolution will take place and will inevitably triumph.”

MenTryingLawRevolutionIndependentSocialismObjectivesCommunismTriumphWheelsCapitalistSocialistReactionaries
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“We Communists never conceal our political views. Definitely and beyond all doubt, our future or maximum program is to carry China forward to socialism and communism. Both the name of our Party and our Marxist world outlook unequivocally point to this supreme ideal of the future, a future of incomparable brightness and splendor.”

WorldPoliticalNamesViewsPartyDoubtIdealsProgramChinaSupremeSocialismCommunismCommunistOur FutureOutlookMaximumSplendorBrightnessMarxistIncomparablePolitical View
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“Taken as a whole, the Chinese revolutionary movement led by the Communist Party embraces the two stages, i.e., the democratic and the socialist revolutions, which are two essentially different revolutionary processes, and the second process can be carried through only after the first has been completed. The democratic revolution is the necessary preparation for the socialist revolution, and the socialist revolution is the inevitable sequel to the democratic revolution. The ultimate aim for which all communists strive is to bring about a socialist and communist society.”

FirstsHas BeensTwoDifferentWholeProcessPartyTakenStageMovementRevolutionUltimateAimEmbraceDemocraticStriveSocialismCommunismPreparationChineseInevitableRevolutionaryCommunistSocialistSequelsCommunist Party
Author:Mao Zedong
Create image

“Socialist revolution aims at liberating the productive forces. The changeover from individual to socialist, collective ownership in agriculture and handicrafts and from capitalist to socialist ownership in private industry and commerce is bound to bring about a tremendous liberation of the productive forces. Thus, the social conditions are being created for a tremendous expansion of industrial and agricultural production.”

IndividualForceSocialConditionsRevolutionIndustryAimBoundsProductionsSocialismCommunismLiberationProductiveCollectivesCapitalistCommerceOwnershipAgricultureSocialistExpansionLiberatingSocial ConditionsHandicrafts
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“In China the struggle to consolidate the socialist system, the struggle to decide whether socialism or capitalism will prevail, will still take a long historical period. However, we should all realize that the new system of socialism will unquestionably be consolidated. We can assuredly build a socialist state with modern industry, modern agriculture, and modern science and culture.”

ShouldLongStillsStatesCultureRealizingStruggleModernIndustryPeriodsCapitalismHistoricalChinaSocialismCommunismAgricultureSocialistModern Science
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“The serious problem is the education of the peasantry. The peasant economy is scattered, and the socialization of agriculture, judging by the Soviet Union's experience, will require a long time and painstaking work. Without socialization of agriculture, there can be no complete, consolidated socialism.”

LongProblemEconomySeriousJudgingLong TimeUnionsSocialismCommunismSovietAgricultureSoviet UnionPeasantsSocialization
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tsetung
Create image

“We must have faith, first, that the peasant masses are ready to advance step by step along the road of socialism under the leadership of the Party, and second, that the Party is capable of leading the peasants along this road. These two points are the essence of the matter, the main current.”

FirstsTwoMatterPartyStepsReadyMassCapableEssenceCurrentsSocialismCommunismHave FaithPeasants
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“There is a serious tendency towards capitalism among the well-to-do peasants. This tendency will become rampant if we in the slightest way neglect political work among the peasants during the co-operative movement and for a very long period after.”

IfsWayWellsLongPoliticalMovementSeriousPeriodsCapitalismSocialismTendenciesCommunismNeglectPeasants
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“The agricultural co-operative movement has been a severe ideological and political struggle from the very beginning. No cooperative can be established without going through such a struggle. Before a brand-new social system can be built on the site of the old, the site must be swept clean. Invariably, remnants of old ideas reflecting the old system remain in people's minds for a long time, and they do not easily give way. After a co-operative is established, it must go through many more struggles before it can be consolidated. Even then, the moment it relaxes its efforts it may collapse.”

PeopleWayGivingMindMayLongHas BeensIdeasMomentsPoliticalSocialEffortStruggleMovementLong TimeBuiltCleanSocialismBrandsCommunismRelaxCollapseSiteSevereReflectingIdeologicalBrand NewCooperativesSocial SystemsRemnantsOld IdeasPolitical Struggle
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tsetung
Create image

“By over-all planning, we mean planning which takes into consideration the interests of the 600 million people of our country. In drawing up plans, handling affairs or thinking over problems, we must proceed from the fact that China has a population of 600 million people, and we must never forget this fact.”

PeopleThinkingMeanCountryFactsProblemInterestForgetMillionsPlansAffairPopulationChinaDrawingPlanningSocialismOur CountryCommunismConsiderationNever Forget
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“In addition to the leadership of the Party, a decisive factor is our population of 600 million. More people mean a greater ferment of ideas, more enthusiasm and more energy. Never before have the masses of the people been so inspired, so militant and so daring as at present.”

PeopleMeanIdeasEnergyPartyMillionsGreaterMassInspiredPopulationSocialismFactorsEnthusiasmCommunismDaringMilitant
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“Apart from their other characteristics, the outstanding thing about China's 600 million people is that they are “poor and blank”. This may seem a bad thing, but in reality it is a good thing. Poverty gives rise to the desire for changes, the desire for action and the desire for revolution. On a blank sheet of paper free from any mark, the freshest and most beautiful characters can be written; the freshest and most beautiful pictures can be painted.”

PeopleGivingMayCharacterRealitySeemsActionBeautifulDesirePoorPovertyMillionsWrittenRevolutionPaperMarkGood ThingsChinaSocialismCommunismCharacteristicsBad ThingsBlankSheetsOutstandingBeautiful Picture
Author:Mao Zedong
Create image

“After the countrywide victory of the Chinese revolution and the solution of the land problem, two basic contradictions will still exist in China. The first is internal, that is, the contradiction between the working class and the bourgeoisie. The second is external, which is the contradiction between China and the imperialist countries. Consequently, after the victory of the people's democratic revolution, the state power of the people's republic under the leadership of the working class must not be weakened but must be strengthened.”

PeopleFirstsStillsTwoCountryStatesProblemClassLandRevolutionVictorySolutionsDemocraticChinaSocialismCommunismChineseContradictionInternalsRepublicWorking ClassBourgeoisieChinese Revolution
Author:Mao Zedong
Create image

“"Don't you want to abolish state power?" Yes, we do, but not right now. We cannot do it yet. Why? Because imperialism still exists, because domestic reaction still exists, because classes still exist in our country. Our present task is to strengthen the people's state apparatus - mainly the people's army, the people's police and the people's courts - in order to consolidate national defense and protect the people's interests.”

PeopleWantStillsCountryStatesOrderInterestClassRight NowProtectTasksArmyPoliceCourtDefenseReactionsSocialismOur CountryCommunismImperialismAbolishNational Defense
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“The People's democratic dictatorship needs the leadership of the working class. For it is only the working class that is most far-sighted, most selfless and most thoroughly revolutionary. The entire history of revolution proves that without the leadership of the working class revolution fails and that with the leadership of the working class revolution triumphs.”

PeopleNeedsClassFailingRevolutionProveDemocraticSocialismCommunismTriumphRevolutionarySelflessDictatorshipWorking Class
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“The People's democratic dictatorship is based on the alliance of the working class, the peasantry and the urban petty bourgeoisie, and mainly on the alliance of the workers and the peasants, because these two classes comprise 80 to go per cent of China's population. These two classes are the main force in overthrowing imperialism and the Kuomintang reactionaries. The transition from New Democracy to socialism also depends mainly upon their alliance.”

PeopleTwoForceClassDemocracyDependsDemocraticWorkersPopulationChinaSocialismCommunismTransitionCentsDictatorshipUrbanWorking ClassImperialismPettyPeasantsAlliancesReactionariesBourgeoisie
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“New things always have to experience difficulties and setbacks as they grow. It is sheer fantasy to imagine that the cause of socialism is all plain sailing and easy success, without difficulties and setbacks or the exertion of tremendous efforts.”

GrowsCausesEasyEffortFantasyStruggleImagineDifficultySocialismImagine ThatNew ThingsSheerSailingSelf RelianceRelianceSetbackExertion
Book:Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (The Little Red Book) & Other Works
Create image

“It will take a long period to decide the issue in the ideological struggle between socialism and capitalism in our country. The reason is that the influence of the bourgeoisie and of the intellectuals who come from the old society will remain in our country for a long time to come, and so will their class ideology. If this is not sufficiently understood, or is not understood at all, the gravest mistakes will be made and the necessity of waging the struggle in the ideological field will be ignored.”

IfsLongMadeCountryReasonMistakeClassStruggleIssuesInfluenceFieldsPeriodsLong TimeUnderstoodCapitalismSocialismOur CountryIdeologyIgnoredIdeologicalBourgeoisieClass StruggleClasses Of Society
Author:Mao Zedong
Create image