Productive Forces Can Not Be Increased Without Science and Technology

Excerpts of Mao Zedong's remarks on December 16, 1963, while listening to Nie Rongzhen, Vice Premier of the State Council and Director of the State Science and Technology Commission, who reported on the ten-year science and technology plan. It was included in the Collected Works of Mao Zedong, Volume 8.

The main content of this speech is:

(1) Emphasis is laid on the relationship between science and technology and the development of productive forces. We must fight the battle of science and technology, and must fight it well. In the past, we fought a battle against the superstructure to establish the people's power and people's army. What is the purpose of building these superstructures? It’s about production. The purpose of engaging in superstructure and production relations is to liberate productive forces. Now that relations of production have changed, productive forces must be improved. Without science and technology, productive forces cannot be improved.

(2) Emphasizing the need for revolutionary spirit and strict scientific attitude. Social sciences should also have a ten-year plan and invest a little money. Publications on science and technology should be well run. Strengthening theoretical research. In order to cultivate a group of talents who understand theory, we can also cultivate them from among workers and peasants. Cadres should understand some natural science theories. A group of people should be organized to specialize in cutting-edge sciences such as lasers.

(3) It is considered that the research methods of natural science and social science are different. It is pointed out that scientific experiments in the three revolutionary movements mainly refer to natural science. Research in the social sciences cannot be conducted exclusively using experimental methods. For example, in the study of political economy, we should not use experimental methods, but use abstract methods, as Marx said in Das Kapital. Commodities, wars, dialectics, etc. can only be summarized by observing thousands of phenomena.

This is an important document of Mao Zedong's concentrated exposition of the importance of science and technology and his emphasis on scientific research.