Page 36 - SELECTED WORKS OF MAO TSE-TUNG Volume III.indd

34 MAO TSE-TUNG
will. Its members should be among the people and with them and
must not set themselves above them. Members of the Assembly and
Comrades, this Communist Party principle of democratic co-operation
with non-Party people is fixed and unalterable. So long as parties
exist, people who join them will always be a minority while those
outside them will always be the majority; hence our Party members
must always co-operate with non-Party people, and they should make
a good start right here in the Assembly. With this policy of ours, I
believe that Communist members of the Assembly will get very good
training here and overcome their “closed-doorism” and sectarianism.
We are not a small opinionated sect and we must learn how to open
our doors and co-operate democratically with non-Party people, and
how to consult with others. Perhaps even now there are Communists
who may say, “If it is necessary to co-operate with others, then
leave me out.” But I am sure there are very few. I can assure you
that the overwhelming majority of our members will certainly be
able to carry out the line of the Central Committee of our Party. At
the same time I wish to ask all non-Party comrades to realize what
we stand for, to understand that the Communist Party is not a small
sect or clique pursuing private ends. No! The Communist Party
sincerely and honestly wishes to set the affairs of state to rights. But
we still have many failings. We are not afraid to admit them and
are determined to get rid of them. We shall do so by strengthening
education within the Party and by co-operating democratically with
non-Party people. It is only by subjecting our failings to such a cross-
fire, both from within and from without, that we can remedy them
and really set the affairs of state to rights.
Members of the Assembly! You have taken the trouble to come
here for this meeting, and I am happy to greet this distinguished
gathering and wish it success.