Analysis of the Classes in Chinese Society

This article was written by Comrade Mao Zedong to combat two deviations that existed in the Party, on the eve of the high tide of the Great Revolution (1924-27), written in early December 1925, the work is included in the Volume 1 of Selected Works of Mao Zedong. The analysis begins by saying: Who are our enemies? Who are our friends? This is a question of primary significance for the revolution. "If we want to distinguish between real enemies and friends, we must make a general analysis of the economic status of all classes of Chinese society and their attitude towards the revolution.” “ By analyzing the economic situation, social status and political attitudes of all social classes in China, this article drew the following important conclusions: Firstly, the landlord class and comprador class represent the most backward and reactionary productive relations in China and hinder the development of productive forces. Their existence is utterly incompatible with the aims of the Chinese revolution.”

Secondly, the middle bourgeoisie. This class represents the capitalist relations of production in China in town and country. The middle bourgeoisie, by which is meant chiefly the national bourgeoisie, is inconsistent in its attitude towards the Chinese revolution; politically, they stand for the establishment of a state under the rule of a single class, the national bourgeoisie.

Thirdly, the petty bourgeoisie. Included in this category are the owner-peasants, the master handicraftsmen, the lower levels of the intellectuals—students, primary and secondary school teachers, lower government functionaries, office clerks, small lawyers—and the small traders. Both because of its size and class character, this class deserves very close attention.

Fourthly, the semi-proletariat includes most of the semi-self-employed peasants, poor peasants, small handicraftsmen, shop assistants and peddlers.

The overwhelming majority of the semi-owner peasants together with the poor peasants constitute a very large part of the rural masses. The peasant problem is essentially their problem.

Fifthly, the proletariat includes the modern industrial proletariat and the rural proletariat. The industrial proletariat, though small in number, is the representative of China's new productive forces, the most progressive class in modern China and the leading force of the revolutionary movement. In addition, there are a large number of migrant proletarians who can fight bravely but destructively. If properly guided, they can become a revolutionary force.

Finally, the article points out that all warlords, bureaucrats, compradors, landlords and some reactionary section of the intelligentsia class attached to them are our enemies. The industrial proletariat is the leading force of our revolution. Our closest friends are the entire semi-proletariat and petty bourgeoisie.  As for the vacillating middle bourgeoisie, their right-wing may become our enemy and their left-wing may become our friend but we must be constantly on our guard and not let them create confusion within our ranks. By using the Marxist method of class analysis, this paper gives a scientific answer to the basic questions of Chinese revolution, such as leadership, motive force, object and future. It preliminarily puts forward the basic thought of the New-Democratic Revolution, which is one of the important symbols of the germination of Mao Zedong Thought.