Combat Liberalism

An important content of waging active ideological struggle within the Party. On September 7, 1937, Mao Zedong published his work "Combat Liberalism".

Mao Zedong pointed out: "We stand for active ideological struggle because it is the weapon for ensuring unity within the Party and the revolutionary organizations in the interest of our fight. Every Communist and revolutionary should take up this weapon. But liberalism rejects ideological struggle and stands for unprincipled peace, thus giving rise to a decadent, attitude and bringing about political degeneration in certain units and individuals in the Party and the revolutionary organizations”. “Liberalism stems from petty-bourgeois selfishness, it places personal interests first and the interests of the revolution second, and this gives rise to ideological, political and organizational liberalism. The result is that both the organization and the individual are harmed.”

Mao Zedong pointed out: "Liberals view the principles of Marxism with abstract dogmas. People who are liberals look upon the principles of Marxism as abstract dogma. They approve of Marxism, but are not prepared to practice it or to practice it in full; they are not prepared to replace their liberalism by Marxism. Such being its nature, there should be no place for it in the ranks of the revolution. We must use Marxism, which is positive in spirit, to overcome liberalism, which is negative. This is one of the tasks on our ideological front.”