Combination of Marxism with Chinese Reality

The only way to localize Marxism in China is to combine Marxism with China's reality. On October 14, 1938, Mao Zedong, explaining the position of the CPC in the national war, pointed out: "The great power of Marxism-Leninism lies in its connection with the specific revolutionary practice of various countries."

On May 19, 1941, in his report "Reform Our Study" at the Yan'an Cadre Conference, he stressed that "we should study the theory of Marxism-Leninism with a purpose, that is, to integrate Marxist-Leninist theory with the actual movement of the Chinese revolution and to seek from this theory the stand, viewpoint and method” , "in order to solve the theoretical and tactical problems of the Chinese revolution.”

To this end, he made three following proposals to the whole Party:

(1) Making a systematic and thorough study of the situation around us. He emphasized that "the fundamental link in changing the Party's style of work is to carry out plans for investigation and study throughout the Party."

(2) As for China's history in the last hundred years, we should assemble qualified persons to study it, in co-operation and with a proper division of labor, and so overcome the present disorganized state of affairs.

(3) As for education for cadres whether at work or in schools for cadres, a policy should be established of focusing such education on the study of the practical problems of the Chinese revolution and using the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism as the guide, and the method of studying Marxism-Leninism statically and in isolation should be discarded.

On August 1 of the same year, Mao Zedong drafted the “Decision of the Central Committee on Investigation and Research”, which put forward a request to all levels of cadres in service and training cadres: "In study, we should oppose the tendency to disregard reality and merely memorize texts, and oppose the evil of separating the study of Marxist-Leninist theory and principles from the understanding of the conditions of Chinese society and the resolution of the problems of the Chinese Revolution.”

In his speech at the opening ceremony of Yan'an University on May 24, 1944, Mao Zedong pointed out more vividly and profoundly: "Dogmatism does not fall to the ground; it hangs in the air. We should not engage in dogmatism but serve the reality down-to-earth.”

After the Yan'an Rectification Movement and the Seventh Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee and the Seventh National Congress of the Party, the idea of combining Marxism with Chinese reality was increasingly recognized and mastered by the whole Party.