Quotes from Mao Zedong
War and Peace
"War is the continuation of politics." In this sense war is politics and war itself is a political action; since ancient times there has never been a war that did not have a political character. . . .
But war has its own particular characteristics and in this sense it cannot be equated with politics in general. "War is the continuation of politics by other . . . means." When politics develops to a certain stage beyond which it cannot proceed by the usual means, war breaks out to sweep the obstacles from the way. . . . When the obstacle is removed and our political aim attained, the war will stop. But if the obstacle is not completely swept away, the war will have to continue till the aim is fully accomplished. . . . It can therefore be said that politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.
"On Protracted War" (May 1938), Selected Works, Vol. II, pp. 152-53.*
Mao believed that the Revolution couldn’t end, just like war, until the main obstacle (four olds) was removed.
But war has its own particular characteristics and in this sense it cannot be equated with politics in general. "War is the continuation of politics by other . . . means." When politics develops to a certain stage beyond which it cannot proceed by the usual means, war breaks out to sweep the obstacles from the way. . . . When the obstacle is removed and our political aim attained, the war will stop. But if the obstacle is not completely swept away, the war will have to continue till the aim is fully accomplished. . . . It can therefore be said that politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.
"On Protracted War" (May 1938), Selected Works, Vol. II, pp. 152-53.*
Mao believed that the Revolution couldn’t end, just like war, until the main obstacle (four olds) was removed.
Culture and Art
In the world today all culture, all literature and art belong to definite classes and are geared to definite political lines. There is in fact no such thing as art for art's sake, art that stands above classes or art that is detached from or independent of politics. Proletarian literature and art are part of the whole proletarian revolutionary cause; they are, as Lenin said, cogs and wheels in the whole revolutionary machine.
"Talks at the Yenan Forum on Literature and Art" (May 1942), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 86.*
This quote explains Mao’s belief that culture in its art form only has one purpose- to sway people in different political directions. This explained why he wanted to destroy the old culture and make a new one in order to sway people in the communist direction.
"Talks at the Yenan Forum on Literature and Art" (May 1942), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 86.*
This quote explains Mao’s belief that culture in its art form only has one purpose- to sway people in different political directions. This explained why he wanted to destroy the old culture and make a new one in order to sway people in the communist direction.
Study
We can learn what we did not know. We are not only good at destroying the old world, we are also good at building the new.
"Report to the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China" (March 5, 1949), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 374.
Mao believed that it was the time to learn about Communism now and that the Chinese people could not only be successful at destroying their old way of life but could also forge a new one.
"Report to the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China" (March 5, 1949), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 374.
Mao believed that it was the time to learn about Communism now and that the Chinese people could not only be successful at destroying their old way of life but could also forge a new one.
These are all quotes from little red books that every Red Guard in the Cultural Revolution carried and memorized.
