Train Millions of Successors to Carry on the Proletarian Revolution

To smoothly carry out the Party's political line, we must have a correct organizational line as a guarantee, which requires the training of millions of successors which will carry on the cause of proletarian revolution. Mao Zedong pointed out: "in the final analysis, the question of training successors for the cause of proletarian revolution, is one of whether or not there will be people who can carry on the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary cause started by the older generation of proletarian revolutionaries, secondly whether or not the leadership of our Party and state will remain in the hands of proletarian revolutionaries.” When analyzing the "peaceful evolution" strategy of the imperialist forces' against China, Mao Zedong said: they are investing hope in the degeneration of the third and fourth generations of China’s leaders, Mao Zedong said: "we should get prepared for the future and train successors to carry on the revolution. This is a major issue with strategic importance.”

"How to prevent revisionism and how to train successors for revolutionary cause of the proletariat?" Mao Zedong put forward five requirements: "The first is the members of the nucleus of leadership at every level of the revolutionary ranks must have a better understanding of Marxism-Leninism. Secondly, they must be revolutionaries who wholeheartedly serve the interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people, and the whole world. Thirdly, they must be proletarian political leaders capable of rallying and working with the overwhelming majority. Not only must they unite with those who agree with them, but those who disagree and even with those who formerly opposed them. Fourthly, they must set an example in applying Party’s democratic centralism, must master the method of ‘from the masses, to the masses’ and must cultivate a democratic style of work and be good at listening to the masses. Fifthly, they must be modest and guard against arrogance and impetuosity; they must be imbued with the spirit of self-criticism and have the courage to correct mistakes and shortcomings in their work.” He also pointed out that "the successors of proletarian revolution should always be able to grow up whether the storms and waves of the mass struggles."

Mao Zedong firmly believed that as long as millions of genuine successors for the cause of socialism are gradually cultivated and tempered in the practice of struggle, the people's political power could be truly consolidated and the cause of socialism could truly develop healthily. In this way the strategy of the imperialist forces that are investing hope in the degeneration of the third and fourth generations of China’s leaders, will be completely bankrupt.