Oppose Book Worship by Mao Zedong

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zotero_link:: PDF
author:: Mao Zedong
url::
doi::
citekey:: zedongOpposeBookWorship

File	created	modified	tags	type

Abstract

abstract:: In Oppose Book Worship (1930), Mao Zedong critiques the dogmatic reliance on books and textual authorities, emphasizing the importance of integrating theory with practical experience. Mao argues that blind adherence to written texts can lead to rigid thinking and detachment from real-world conditions, which are dynamic and varied. He stresses that knowledge is not static and must be derived from and tested through direct engagement with the realities of the masses. Mao’s essay is a call for revolutionary thinkers to use books as tools rather than ultimate authorities, encouraging flexibility, innovation, and critical thinking to adapt Marxist principles to China’s unique social and political context.

Hypothesis

hypothesis:: In Oppose Book Worship, Mao Zedong argues that revolutionary practice and knowledge derived from real-world experience, particularly the struggles of the masses, should take precedence over blind reverence for books and rigid academic doctrines.

Summary of Key Points

Critique of Blind Reverence for Books:
- Mao argues against the uncritical worship of books, especially classical texts, as sources of unquestionable authority.
- He warns that an excessive focus on book learning can hinder practical, revolutionary action and critical thinking.
Importance of Practice:
- Knowledge should be rooted in practice; theory must be tested and applied in real-world situations.
- Mao stresses the importance of learning from experience, not just from books, and adapting ideas to the specific conditions of the revolution.
Class Struggle and Material Conditions:
- Emphasizes that class struggle and the material conditions of society are more important than abstract academic knowledge.
- Intellectuals must understand the realities of the working class and rural peasants, rather than relying solely on bookish knowledge.
Revolutionary Spirit Over Formal Education:
- Advocates for revolutionary practice over formal, academic education, particularly in the context of Chinese peasants and workers.
- Mao criticizes the tendency of some intellectuals to cling to Western or foreign ideas without applying them to Chinese realities.
Ideological Flexibility:
- Calls for flexibility in thinking and ideological work, encouraging people to question established ideas and doctrines rather than adhere to them dogmatically.
- Intellectuals should not be isolated from the masses but should learn from them and engage in active, revolutionary work.
Opposition to Dogmatism:
- Critiques dogmatism in both Chinese and foreign ideological traditions, especially the blind imitation of Marxist orthodoxy without considering local conditions.
- Mao stresses the need for creativity and innovation within Marxist theory, in contrast to rigid adherence to established texts.
Role of the Masses:
- Advocates for the mass line, emphasizing that revolutionary ideas and strategies should emerge from the masses and be guided by their needs and experiences, not by theoretical elites.
Practical Revolution vs. Theoretical Purism:
- Argues that theoretical purity should never come at the expense of practical revolutionary action, with an emphasis on "seeking truth from facts" rather than adhering to dogmatic principles.

Highlights

Highlight Color	Meaning
Red	Disagree with Author
Orange	Definition
Yellow	Interesting Point by Author
Green	Important To Me
Blue	Other sources cited or related
Magenta	Confused or questions
Purple	Section Heading

No Investigation, No Right to Speak

NO INVESTIGATION, NO RIGHT TO SPEAK Page 3

When you have not probedinto a problem, into the present facts and its past history, and know nothing ofits essentials, whatever you say about it will undoubtedly be nonsense. Page 3

[N] You cannot speak on a subject without understanding its present facts and past history.
[N] Speaking without understanding the essentials leads to nonsense.

tags:: #on/investigation #on/knowledge #on/speaking

To Investigate A Problem Is To Solve It

TO INVESTIGATE A PROBLEM IS TO SOLVE IT Page 3

You can' t solve a problem? Well, get down and investigate the present facts and its past history! When you have investigated the problem thoroughly, you will know how to solve it. Page 3

[N] Investigation is the key to solving problems.
[N] Thorough investigation reveals the solution.

tags:: #on/investigation #on/problems #on/solutions

Oppose Book Workship

OPPOSE BOOK WORSHIP Page 4

Of course we should study Marxist books, butthis study must be integrated with our country's actual conditions. We needbooks, but we must overcome book worship, which is divorced from the actualsituation. Page 5

[N] Study of Marxiste books should be integrated with actual conditions.
[N] Book worship must be overcome because it is divorced from the actual situation.

tags:: #on/books #on/marxism #on/application

Without Investigating The Actual Situation, There Is Bound To Be An Idealist Appraisal

WITHOUT INVESTIGATING THE ACTUAL SITUATION, THERE ISBOUND TO BE AN IDEALIST APPRAISAL OF CLASS FORCES AND ANIDEALIST GUIDANCE IN WORK, RESULTING EITHER IN OPPORTUNISM OR IN PUTSCHISM Page 5

We must wipe out idealism and guard against all opportunist and putschist errors before we can succeed in winning over the masses and defeating theenemy. The only way to wipe out idealism is to make the efort and investigatethe actual situation. Page 6

[N] Failure to investigate leads to idealism in appraising class forces.
[N] Idealism leads to opportunism or putschism.
[N] The only way to eliminate idealism is through investigation.

tags:: #on/idealism #on/investigation #on/class

Investigation Guides Struggle

THE AIM OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INVESTIGATION IS TO ARRIVE AT A CORRECT APPRAISAL OF CLASS FORCES AND THEN TO FORMULATECORRECT TACTICS FOR THE STRUGGLE Page 6

Weshould investigate not only the state of each trade, but more especially the classrelations within it. We should investigate the relationships not only between the diferent trades but more especially between the diferent classes. Our chiefmethod of investigation must be to dissect the diferent social classes, theultimate purpose being to understand their interrelations, to arrive at a correct appraisal of class forces and then to formulate the correct tactics for the struggle,dening which classes constitute the main force in the revolutionary struggle,which classes are to be won over as allies and which classes are to be overthrown.This is our sole purpose. Page 7

[N] The aim of investigation is to accurately appraise class forces and formulate correct tactics.
[N] Investigate class relations within and between trades.
[N] Understand class interrelations to define the main force, allies, and enemies in struggle.

tags:: #on/investigation #on/class #on/struggle

Understanding Chinese Conditions

VICTORY IN CHINA'S REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE WILL DEPEND ONTHE CHENESE COMRADES' UNDERSTANDING OF CHINESE CONDITIONS Page 8

The aim of our struggle is to attain socialism via the stage of democracy. In this task, the rst step is to complete the democratic revolution by winning themajority of the working class and arousing the peasant masses and the urbanpoor for the overthrow of the landlord class, imperialism and the Kuomintang regime. Page 8

To awakenthese comrades we must raise our voices and cry out to them: Change your conservative ideas without delay! Replace them by progressive and militant Communist ideas!Get into the struggle!Go among the masses and investigate the facts! Page 9

[N] Victory in China's revolution depends on understanding Chinese conditions.
[N] The first step is to complete the democratic revolution to overthrow the landlord class, imperialism and the Kuomintang regime.
[N] Change conservative ideas to progressive and militant Communist ideas through investigation and struggle.

tags:: #on/china #on/revolution #on/conditions

Techniques of Investigation

THE TECHNIUE OF INVESTlGATION Page 9

1. Hold fact-nding meetings and undertake investigation through discussions. Page 10

2. What kind of people should attend the fact-nding meetings? Page 10

They should be people well acquainted with social and economic conditions. As far as age is concerned, older people are best, because they are rich in experienceand not only know what is going an but understand the causes and efects.Young people with experience of struggle should also be included, because they have progressive ideas and sharp eyes. Page 10

3. Which is better, a large fact-finding meeting or a small one? Page 10

the number of. people attending a meeting depends on thecompetence of the investigator. However, the minimum is three, or otherwisethe information obtained will be too limited to correspond to the real situation. Page 10

4. Prepare a detailed outline for the investigation. Page 10

A detailed outline' should be prepared beforehand, and the investigator shouldask questions according to the outline, with those present at the meeting giving their answers. Page 11

5. Personal participation. Page 11

Everyone with responsibility for giving leadership — from the chairman of the township government to the chairman of the central government, from thedetachment leader to the commander-in-chief, from the secretary of a Partybranch to the general secretary — must personally undertake investigation intothe specic social and economic conditions and not merely rely on reading reports. Page 11

6. Probe deeply. Page 11

Anyone new to investigation work should make one or two thoroughinvestigations in order to gain full knowledge of a particular place (say, a villageor a town) of a particular problem (say, the problem of grain or currency) Page 11

7. Make your own notes. Page 11

The investigator should not only preside at fact-nding meetings and give proper guidance to those present but should also make his own notes and record the results himself. Page 11

[N] Investigation should be conducted through fact-finding meetings and discussions.
[N] Participants should be familiar with social and economic conditions, including older people with experience and younger people with progressive ideas.
[N] The size of the meeting should be based on the investigator's competence, with a minimum of three participants.
[N] A detailed outline should be prepared beforehand, and the investigator should ask questions based on the outline.
[N] Leaders at all levels must personally participate in investigations and not rely on reports.
[N] New investigators should conduct one or two thorough investigations of a particular place or problem.
[N] Investigators should make their own notes and record the results.

tags:: #on/investigation #on/meetings #on/participants #on/leadership #on/notes #on/recording #on/technique #on/outline #on/depth

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