Oppose Subjectivism in Order to Rectify the Style of Learning

The important task of rectifying the Party's style of work—by opposing subjectivism—was the primary problem to be solved by the Rectification Movement in Yan'an (1942-1945).

Mao Zedong pointed out: "The problem of style of learning is a question of the method of thinking of comrades in our leading bodies, of all cadres and Party members, a question of our attitude towards Marxism-Leninism, of the attitude of all Party comrades in their work. As such, it is a question of extraordinary, indeed of primary, importance.”

“Subjectivism is idealism in practical work, which is opposite to the ideological line of materialism. Such subjective style of work is the ideological root of the “Left” and “Right” errors within the Communist Party of China”. If thinking falls behind objective reality due to subjectivism, right mistakes will be made; if thinking goes beyond a certain stage of development of the objective process, then “Left” mistakes will be made. “To sum up, this subjectivist method which is contrary to science and Marxism-Leninism is a manifestation of impurity in Party spirit.” During the Yan’an Rectification Movement, Mao Zedong pointed out that "only when subjectivism is defeated, the truth of Marxism-Leninism will rise, the Party spirit will be consolidated, and the revolution will win." In its Decision on Investigation and Research Work , the Central Committee of the CPC also pointed out that "subjectivistic tendencies of self-righteousness and roughly finished work are the principal manifestations of an impure Party spirit, and that seeking the truth from facts and closely relating theory and practice constitute a minimum attitude for comrades in strengthening the Party spirit.”

Such subjectivism as an improper style of learning was mainly manifested in two forms within the Communist Party of China at that time: dogmatism and empiricism. Dogmatism was characterized by not proceeding from the actual situation of the Chinese revolution, but from individual words and sentences in Marxist books and proceeded from specific instructions of the Communist International.

Empiricism was characterized by preaching narrow experience, and mistook partial experience for the universal truth consequently belittled serious reading and study of Marxist-Leninist theories. Both dogmatism and empiricism—each originating from an opposite pole—separates the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism from the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.

Mao Zedong said: “Our comrades who are engaged in practical work will also come to grief if they misuse their experience. True, these people are often rich in experience, which is very valuable, but it is very dangerous if they rest content with their own experience. Since the conception of experience of empiricists is mostly partial and perceptual, and since most of them often lack rational and comprehensive knowledge, which also means that they lack theory and their knowledge is relatively incomplete; therefore empiricists with such incompleteness, when they come together with dogmatists, they generally appear as appendages of the dogmatists; on the other hand the history of our Party has proved that dogmatists would not be able to "poison the whole Party" so easily, without the “help” of empiricists. Mao Zedong pointed out: "To combat subjectivism we must enable people of each of these two types to develop in whichever direction they are deficient and to merge with the other type. Those with book learning must develop in the direction of practice; it is only in this way that they will stop being content with books and avoid committing dogmatist errors. Those experienced in work must take up the study of theory and must read seriously; only then will they be able to systematize and synthesize their experience and raise it to the level of theory, only then will they not mistake their partial experience for universal truth and not commit empiricist errors.” In short, we should grasp the ideological line of dialectical materialism and combine the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.

Mao Zedong led the Party in correcting the ideological line by eradicating subjectivism, and required the whole Party, especially the leading Party cadres, to consciously master the principle of combining Marxist-Leninist theory with the reality of the Chinese revolution, and solved one of the most important issues in the construction of the Party, and provided a solid ideological foundation for the Party to formulate and implement the correct line, principles and policies. This is a great creation of Mao Zedong and his outstanding contribution to Marxist theory of Party-building.