Page 20 - SELECTED WORKS OF MAO TSE-TUNG Volume III.indd

18 MAO TSE-TUNG
Leninism gave an entirely new complexion to the Chinese revolution.
Since the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, our Party,
basing itself on the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism, has taken
a further step in its study of the concrete practice of this war and
in its study of China and the world today, and has also made a
beginning in the study of Chinese history. These are all very
good signs.

II

However, we still have shortcomings, and very big ones too.
Unless we correct these shortcomings, we shall not, in my opinion,
be able to take another step forward in our work and in our great
cause of integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with
the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.
First, take the study of current conditions. We have achieved
some success in our study of present domestic and international con-
ditions, but for such a large political party as ours, the material we
have collected is fragmentary and our research work unsystematic
on each and every aspect of these subjects, whether it be the political,
military, economic or cultural aspect. Generally speaking, in the last
twenty years we have not done systematic and thorough work in
collecting and studying material on these aspects, and we are lacking
in a climate of investigation and study of objective reality. To behave
like “a blindfolded man catching sparrows”, or “a blind man groping
for fish”, to be crude and careless, to indulge in verbiage, to rest
content with a smattering of knowledge — such is the extremely bad
style of work that still exists among many comrades in our Party,
a style utterly opposed to the fundamental spirit of Marxism-
Leninism. Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin have taught us that it is
necessary to study conditions conscientiously and to proceed from
objective reality and not from subjective wishes; but many of our
comrades act in direct violation of this truth.

of expression being stereotyped Party writing. Comrade Mao Tse-tung called for a
Party-wide movement of Marxist-Leninist education to rectify style of work in
accordance with the ideological principles of Marxism-Leninism. His call very quickly
led to a great debate between proletarian and petty-bourgeois ideology inside and
outside the Party. This consolidated the position of proletarian ideology inside and
outside the Party, enabled the broad ranks of cadres to take a great step forward
ideologically and the Party to achieve unprecedented unity.