On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People

Mao Zedong's speech at the 11th (enlarged) Session of the Supreme State Council on February 27, 1957 was originally entitled "How to Deal with Contradictions among the People". On June 19 of the same year, it was published in People's Daily with the title "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People". It was included in the Collected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 7.

When the socialist transformation of private ownership of the means of production has been basically completed, this speech clearly pointed out that the large-scale stormy mass class struggle in the revolutionary period has basically ended, and that the correct handling of contradictions among the people has been put forward as the theme of China's political life, which is the continuation and development of the correct policy of the Eighth National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

This speech made a comprehensive and systematic exposition of the contradictions in socialist society, basic contradictions, two kinds of contradictions of different nature, especially contradictions among the people, profoundly summed up the experience and lessons of the international communist movement, scientifically answered the new problems after the basic completion of China's socialist transformation, and enriched and developed Marxism with a series of original ideas Leninism.

(1) Using the law of unity of opposites to observe the socialist society, we affirm that the socialist society is still full of contradictions, which promote the development of socialist society.

Mao Zedong pointed out that “the law of the unity of opposites is the fundamental law of the universe”.

This law, no matter in nature, human society and people's thinking, is universal. "But for many people it is one thing to accept this law and quite another to apply it in examining and dealing with problems.”

Mao Zedong further pointed out that "these contradictions are pushing our society forward", and “we need to explain things to our people, and to our cadres in the first place, in order to help them understand the contradictions in socialist society and learn to use correct methods for handling them".

(2) It is clearly pointed out that the basic contradiction in socialist society the basic contradictions are still those between the relations of production and the productive forces and between the superstructure and the economic base.

Mao Zedong pointed out that "in the socialist society, the basic contradictions are still the contradictions between the relations of production and the productive forces, and between the superstructure and the economic base.” “However, they are fundamentally different in character and have different features from the contradictions between the relations of production and the productive forces and between the superstructure and the economic base in the old societies.”

"It is not a contradiction of confrontation. It can be solved continuously through the socialist system itself.” The relations of production in socialist society are "compatible and contradictory" with the productive forces and the superstructure with the economic base. Because adaptation is the main factor, our system is superior. Because there are still inadaptable aspects, we must constantly solve them "according to the specific situation".

In practice, this has laid a theoretical foundation for the reform and the improvement and development of the socialist system.

(3) He creatively put forward the theory of two kinds of social contradictions of different nature, emphasizing that we must strictly distinguish and correctly handle the contradictions between ourselves and the enemy and the contradictions among the people.

Mao Zedong pointed out: "We are confronted with two types of social contradictions—those between ourselves and the enemy and those among the people. The two are totally different in nature.”

"Generally speaking, the fundamental identity of the people's interests underlies the contradictions among the people.” Since they are different in nature, the contradictions between ourselves and the enemy and the contradictions among the people must be resolved by different methods. To put it briefly, the former entail drawing a clear distinction between ourselves and the enemy, and the latter entail drawing a clear distinction between right and wrong. It is of course true that the distinction between ourselves and the enemy is also one of right and wrong.

Of course, the difference between confrontational and non-confrontational is relative, not absolute. “In ordinary circumstances, contradictions among the people are not antagonistic. However, if it is not handled properly, or if it loses vigilance and carelessness, confrontation may also occur.” Although this is usually only a partial and temporary phenomenon, we should not ignore it.

(4) Mao Zedong put forward a series of principles and methods to correctly handle contradictions among the people.

Mao Zedong pointed out that: “The only way to settle questions of an ideological nature or controversial issues among the people is the democratic method, the method of discussion, criticism, persuasion and education, and not by the method of coercion or repression.”

Mao Zedong summed it up as a formula called "Unity-Criticism-Unity". To elaborate, that means starting from the desire for unity, resolving contradictions through criticism or struggle, and arriving at a new unity on a new basis.

Mao Zedong also pointed out that in dealing with the contradictions among the people, we should adopt the policy of "overall consideration and appropriate arrangement"; in dealing with the contradictions in art and science, we should adopt the policy of "letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend"; in dealing with the contradictions between the Communist Party and the democratic parties, we should adopt the policy of "long-term coexistence and mutual supervision" and so on.

Mao Zedong put forward an important guiding ideology for correctly handling contradictions among the people, which is: “unite the people of all nationalities in our country for the new battle, the battle against nature, develop our economy and culture, help the whole nation to traverse this transitional period relatively smoothly, consolidate our new system and build up our new state.”

"On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People" is an important Marxist document. It creatively expounds the theory of socialist social contradictions, which is an important development of scientific socialist theory and has long-term guiding significance for China's socialist cause.