137+ Mao Zedong Quotes [Maoism]

Mao Zedong, also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary and the founding father of the People’s Republic of China.

He led the Communist Party of China (CPC) to victory in the Chinese Civil War and ruled the country from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976.

Mao Zedong’s quotes, often referred to as Mao Zedong Thought or Maoism, encapsulate his ideology and provide insight into his leadership style and political philosophy.

Here are some of the key characteristics of Mao Zedong’s quotes:

• Marxism-Leninism-Maoism: Mao Zedong believed in Marxism-Leninism and sought to adapt it to the Chinese context. He combined Marxist theory with his own contributions and innovations, which became known as Mao Zedong Thought. Maoism emphasizes the role of peasants and guerrilla warfare in revolution and emphasizes the need for continuous class struggle.
• Proletarian Revolution: Mao Zedong was a strong advocate for the empowerment of the working class and the overthrow of the bourgeoisie. His quotes often emphasize the importance of mobilizing the masses, particularly peasants, in the struggle for revolution. He believed in the primacy of the working class and saw them as the driving force behind social change.
• Mass Mobilization: Mao Zedong emphasized the importance of mass mobilization and grassroots participation in political movements. His quotes often highlight the power of the masses and their ability to bring about change through collective action. He encouraged the Chinese people to engage in mass campaigns and revolutionary activities to achieve their goals.
• Class Struggle: Mao Zedong viewed class struggle as an inherent part of society, even after the revolution. His quotes frequently address the need to continue the struggle against capitalist and feudal remnants and to combat revisionism within the Communist Party. He believed that class struggle should be a constant process to prevent the emergence of a new bourgeoisie.
• Self-Reliance and Independence: Mao Zedong emphasized the importance of self-reliance and independence for China. His quotes often reflect a desire to free China from foreign imperialism and to build a strong, self-sufficient nation. He promoted the idea of self-reliance in various areas, including agriculture, industry, and defense.
• Continuous Revolution: Mao Zedong believed in the necessity of continuous revolution and the need for ongoing struggle to prevent the consolidation of bureaucratic power and the emergence of a new privileged class. His quotes emphasize the need for vigilance and the constant renewal of revolutionary spirit within the party and society.
• Contradiction and Dialectical Materialism: Mao Zedong drew heavily from dialectical materialism, a philosophical framework that analyzes social phenomena in terms of contradictions. His quotes often reflect this perspective, highlighting the existence of contradictions in society and the importance of resolving them through struggle and change.
• Anti-Imperialism and Anti-Colonialism: Mao Zedong was a staunch opponent of imperialism and colonialism. His quotes express support for national liberation movements around the world and advocate for the overthrow of colonial rule. He saw the struggle against imperialism as an integral part of the global proletarian revolution.

It is important to note that while Mao Zedong’s quotes and ideology had a significant impact on China’s history, they are also a subject of debate and criticism, both within China and internationally.

His policies, such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, resulted in significant social and economic disruptions and led to the loss of millions of lives.

Mao Zedong Quotes

Here are some quotes by Mao Zedong:

1. “A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”
2. “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
3. “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend.”
4. “The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea.”
5. “To read too many books is harmful.”
6. “Women hold up half the sky.”
7. “The Chinese people have stood up!”
8. “The atom bomb is a paper tiger.”
9. “Despise the enemy strategically, but take him seriously tactically.”
10. “Political power comes from the barrel of a gun.”
11. “There is in fact no such thing as art for art’s sake, art that stands above classes, art that is detached from or independent of politics.”
12. “It is necessary to establish a monopoly, on the one hand, and to distribute resources equally, on the other.”
13. “Without a revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement.”
14. “The ultimate perspective of the Chinese revolution is not capitalism but socialism and communism.”
15. “The world is ours, the nation is ours, the society is ours.”
16. “Investigation may be likened to the long months of pregnancy, and solving a problem to the day of birth.”
17. “The only real defense is active defense.”
18. “Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
19. “Let us dare to read, think, speak and write.”
20. “The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.”
21. “The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea.”
22. “Revolution is not a dinner party, nor an essay, nor a painting, nor a piece of embroidery; it cannot be advanced softly, gradually, carefully, considerately, respectfully, politely, plainly and modestly.”
23. “When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy halts, we harass; when the enemy tries to avoid a battle, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue.”
24. “The art of war is not a simple and pure art; it is a rough and complex art.”
25. “A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous.”
26. “The world is ours; we should unite to strive for the realization of our goals.”
27. “The Chinese revolution has entered a new stage.”
28. “Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.”
29. “To read too many books is harmful.”
30. “We shall support whatever the enemy opposes and oppose whatever the enemy supports.”
31. “Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting progress in the arts and sciences and a flourishing socialist culture in our land.”
32. “Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy.”
33. “Doubt everything.”
34. “The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.”
35. “Politics is war without blood.”
36. “Without a people’s army, the people have nothing.”
37. “Passivity is a state of impotence.”
38. “We must learn to do economic work from all who know how.”
39. “To rebel is justified.”
40. “A revolution is not a bed of roses.”
41. “When you want to defeat your enemy, you must first understand them.”
42. “The masses have boundless creative power.”
43. “Seek truth from facts.”
44. “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.”
45. “Imperialism and all reactionaries are paper tigers.”
46. “Classes struggle, some classes triumph, others are eliminated.”
47. “Where there is oppression, there is resistance.”
48. “To rebel is justifiable.”
49. “Revolutionary warfare is not static but dynamic, not an isolated but a continuous process, and cannot be carried on without the support of the people.”
50. “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
51. “To be attacked by the enemy is not a bad thing but a good thing.”
52. “A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous.”
53. “We must have faith in the masses and we must have faith in the Party.”
54. “The foolish old man who moved the mountains.”
55. “Let the world know that we are determined to fight a war of liberation.”
56. “The world is in turmoil. The East is red, and the West is red.”
57. “The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue.”
58. “When the enemy advances, withdraw; when the enemy stops, harass; when the enemy tires, strike; when the enemy retreats, pursue.”
59. “Practice is the sole criterion of truth.”
60. “We should support whatever the enemy opposes and oppose whatever the enemy supports.”
61. “To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather.”
62. “We shall support whatever the enemy opposes and oppose whatever the enemy supports.”
63. “Be resolute, fear no sacrifice, and surmount every difficulty to win victory.”
64. “To read too many books is harmful.”
65. “Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.”
66. “Our attitude towards ourselves should be “to be insatiable in learning” and towards others “to be tireless in teaching”.”
67. “If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.”
68. “The world is ours, the nation is ours, the society is ours.”
69. “Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive one; it is people, not things, that are decisive.”
70. “People who have been submerged in poverty for a long time have been rendered stolid and passive.”
71. “Theoretical knowledge can be acquired by sitting in a study, but the art of fighting can only be acquired by fighting.”
72. “A single spark can start a prairie fire.”
73. “To start a war, we must concentrate all our resources, every soldier and every ounce of material, on a single point.”
74. “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
75. “To win countrywide victory, we must mobilize the peasants as widely as possible.”
76. “In time of difficulties, we must not lose sight of our achievements.”
77. “The masses have a potentially inexhaustible enthusiasm for socialism.”
78. “It is the responsibility of revolutionaries to provide the people with a clear understanding of the world.”
79. “Where there is oppression, there is resistance.”
80. “The revolutionary war is a war of the masses; it can be waged only by mobilizing the masses and relying on them.”
81. “The people’s government must rely primarily on the people’s own creative power.”
82. “The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue.”
83. “All men must die, but death can vary in its significance.”
84. “To be attacked by the enemy is not a bad thing but a good thing.”
85. “Political work is the lifeblood of all economic work.”
86. “Our point of departure is to serve the people wholeheartedly and never for a moment divorce ourselves from the masses.”
87. “When the enemy advances, withdraw; when the enemy stops, harass; when the enemy tires, strike; when the enemy retreats, pursue.”
88. “It is only when the masses are active and revolutionary that there is real political power.”
89. “The guerrilla fighter needs full help from the people of the area.”
90. “Every Communist must grasp the truth, ‘Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.'”
91. “The world is wide, and the road is long.”
92. “Learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones.”
93. “If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself.”
94. “The law of the unity of opposites is the basic law of materialist dialectics.”
95. “The masses are the real heroes, while we ourselves are often childish and ignorant.”
96. “All reactionaries are paper tigers.”
97. “Cadres are the steel of the party.”
98. “Do not fear difficulties. The more difficult the problem, the greater the opportunity.”
99. “An army without culture is a dull-witted army, and a dull-witted army cannot defeat the enemy.”
100. “Everything under heaven is in utter chaos; the situation is excellent.”

These quotes reflect Mao Zedong’s views on revolution, political power, the importance of the masses, and the struggle against oppression.

They provide insights into his political ideology and his emphasis on mobilizing the people to achieve revolutionary goals.

Famous Mao Zedong Quotes

Here are some famous quotes by Mao Zedong, the former Chairman of the Communist Party of China:

1. “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
2. “A revolution is not a dinner party.”
3. “Women hold up half the sky.”
4. “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend.”
5. “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
6. “The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.”
7. “The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea.”
8. “Despise the enemy strategically, but take him seriously tactically.”
9. “The only real defense is active defense.”
10. “To read too many books is harmful.”
11. “In time of difficulties, we must not lose sight of our achievements.”
12. “Every communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
13. “The atom bomb is a paper tiger which the United States reactionaries use to scare people.”
14. “People of the world, unite and defeat the U.S. aggressors and all their running dogs!”
15. “The foolish old man who moved the mountains.”
16. “The Chinese people have stood up!”
17. “Without a revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement.”
18. “To rebel is justified.”
19. The cardinal responsibility of leadership is to identify the dominant contradiction at each point of the historical process and to work out a central line to resolve it.
20. “Investigation may be likened to the long months of pregnancy, and solving a problem to the day of birth.”
21. “Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy.”
22. “The world is yours, as well as ours, but in the last analysis, it is yours. You young people, full of vigor and vitality, are in the bloom of life, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning.”
23. “To be attacked by the enemy is not a bad thing but a good thing.”
24. “No investigation, no right to speak.”
25. “We think too small, like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.”

Please note that these quotes reflect Mao Zedong’s ideology and historical context.

Mao Zedong Quotes on Communism, Unity, Art, Religion, and Death

Here are some quotes attributed to Mao Zedong on the topics of communism, unity, art, religion, and death.

Please note that these quotes are based on historical records and may have variations in wording or translation:

Communism

• “A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”
• “Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy.”

Unity

• “Without a people’s army, the people have nothing.”
• “The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.”

Art

• “Art is not a mirror to reflect reality but a hammer with which to shape it.”
• “Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting the progress of the arts and the sciences and a flourishing socialist culture in our land.”

Religion

• “Religion is the opium of the masses.”
• “Our attitude towards religion is not at all simple. We neither oppose religion nor are we indifferent to it.”

Death

• “Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life.”

It’s important to remember that these quotes are taken out of their original context and should be interpreted with an understanding of Mao Zedong’s overall ideology and historical context.

What Is Dialectical Materialism Within the Context of Dialectical Materialism?

Dialectical materialism is a philosophical framework that was developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as a foundation for understanding and analyzing the social, economic, and historical processes of society.

It is based on the integration of two main components: dialectics and materialism.

Dialectics, within the context of dialectical materialism, refers to a method of analysis that recognizes the interconnectedness and dynamic nature of contradictions and their role in driving change and development.

It is rooted in the concept that everything in the world is in a state of constant motion and transformation.

Dialectics emphasizes the understanding of phenomena not as static, isolated entities, but as interconnected and evolving through a process of contradiction, conflict, and resolution.

Materialism, on the other hand, is the philosophical stance that reality is fundamentally determined by material conditions and that the material world, including social and economic relations, shapes and influences human thought and consciousness.

Materialism rejects the notion of a spiritual or metaphysical realm and instead focuses on understanding the material conditions and forces that drive historical and social development.

When combined, dialectical materialism provides a framework for analyzing social, economic, and historical phenomena by examining the underlying material conditions, the contradictions and conflicts that arise within these conditions, and the resulting changes and transformations that occur.

Within the context of dialectical materialism, the understanding of reality is based on the recognition that social systems and structures, such as capitalism or feudalism, are composed of opposing forces and contradictions.

These contradictions, such as the conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in capitalism, are seen as the driving forces of historical change and social progress.

Dialectical materialism also emphasizes the importance of human agency and the role of class struggle in shaping society.

It recognizes the active role of individuals and social classes in engaging in struggle, organizing for change, and transforming social and economic relations.

Overall, dialectical materialism provides a philosophical and analytical framework that seeks to understand the dynamics of social and historical development, the role of contradictions and conflicts, and the potential for revolutionary change.

It forms the basis of Marxist theory and serves as a guide for analyzing and transforming society.

Conclusion – Mao Zedong Quotes

Dialectical materialism is a philosophical framework that combines dialectics and materialism to understand and analyze the social, economic, and historical processes of society.

It recognizes the interconnectedness and dynamic nature of contradictions and emphasizes the role of material conditions in shaping human thought and social development.

Dialectical materialism provides a method of analysis that highlights the inherent contradictions within social systems, the forces of class struggle, and the potential for revolutionary change.

It underscores the importance of understanding the material basis of society and the active role of individuals and social classes in transforming social and economic relations.

Dialectical materialism, as a cornerstone of Marxist theory, offers a framework for comprehending the complexities of society and striving towards a more equitable and just world.

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