“The transition from capitalism to communism,” says Lenin, “represents an entire historical epoch. Until this epoch has terminated, the exploiters inevitably cherish the hope of restoration, and this hope is converted into attempts at restoration. And after their first serious defeat, the overthrown exploiters-who had not expected their overthrow, never believed it possible, never conceded the thought of it-throw themselves with energy grown tenfold, with furious passion and hatred grown a hundredfold, into the battle for the recovery of the ‘paradise’ of which they have been deprived, on behalf of their families, who had been leading such a sweet and easy life and whom now the ‘common herd’ is condemning to ruin and destitution (or to 'common labour…). In the train of the capitalist exploiters follow the broad masses of the petty bourgeoisie, with regard to whom decades of historical experience of all countries testify that they vacillate and hesitate, one day marching behind the proletariat and the next day taking fright at the difficulties of the revolution; that they become panic-stricken at the first defeat or semi-defeat of the workers, grow nervous, rush about, snivel, and run from one camp into the other”
Yes, that was what seemed to me as the most important aspect of it as well…have you read Maos speech “on contradictions” from 1957?
https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-5/mswv5_58.htm
One part really stuck with me: where he talks about freedom and exploitation. “When there is freedom to exploit there is no freedom from exploitation.”
He really has the question of personal freedom within socialism cornered there.
Mao Zedong is a very underrated thinker imho. Everybody goes "great leap, red guards, hurrdurr, china bad… without ever reading what he actually wrote. Good to read is “Concerning Questions of Leninism” by Stalin as well.
Mao Zedong was a great student of marxism-leninism. He made his mistakes, deviations, which in no way overshadow the greatness of his work. Our task is to learn what mistakes were made, and to learn with what was done right so we go prepared when it’s our turn.
However, in no way he is underrated. He is actually a philosopher studied by literally billions in the world, including the reactionary forces. The US military studied Mao Zedong at some point, because his protracted people’s war was extremely innovative, even today.
To take over cities by encircling them from the countryside is absolutely brilliant. It only works in a predominantly rural population, though, which was definitely the case in the semifeudal nature of China’s economy at the time.
The Chinese Soviet Republic really is a fascinating piece of history.