More on the Historical Experience of Proletarian Dictatorship

Based on discussions at the Enlarged Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, written by the editorial board of the People's Daily, on December 29, 1956.

It was an important article published in People's Daily. The 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956 and the Poland-Hungary Incident aroused great attention and in-depth thinking of the CPC Central Committee.

Mao Zedong held successive Politburo Standing Committee meetings, enlarged Politburo meetings, and enlarged Politburo Standing Committee meetings to discuss the situation in Eastern Europe and the world situation. During this period, Tito, the president of the Yugoslav Communist League, suggested that Stalin's errors were generated not only by the cult of the personality but by the system and bureaucratic organization that enabled the cult of the personality, which also attracted the attention of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Based on the discussion at the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, the article “More on the Historical Experience of Proletarian Dictatorship” was formed.

The article raises the question of antagonisms of two natures: The first type consists of contradictions between our enemy and ourselves (contradictions between the camp of imperialism and that of socialism, contradictions between imperialism and the people and oppressed nations of the whole world, contradictions between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in the imperialist countries, etc.). This is the fundamental type of contradiction, based on the clash of interests between antagonistic classes.

The second type consists of contradictions within the ranks of the people (contradictions between different sections of the people, between comrades within the Communist Party, or, in socialist countries, contradictions between the government and the people, contradictions between socialist countries, contradictions between Communist Parties, etc.).

This type of contradiction is not basic; it is not the result of a fundamental clash of interests between classes, but of conflicts between right and wrong opinions or of a partial contradiction of interests. It is a type of contradiction whose solution must, first and foremost, be subordinated to the overall interests of the struggle against the enemy. Contradictions among the people themselves can and ought to be resolved, proceeding from the desire for solidarity under new conditions.

The article raises the question of estimation of the basic path of revolution and construction in the USSR. It was pointed out that the Russian October Revolution of 1917 ushered in a new era, not only in the history of the communist movement but also in the history of mankind. The path of the October Revolution reflects the general law of revolution and construction in a particular stage of the long-distance development of human society. This is not only the well-developed path of the Soviet proletariat, but it is the common path that the proletariat of all countries must take to achieve victory.

The Soviet Union achieved great successes in the 39 years following the Revolution. The economy and culture of the Soviet Union advanced with a speed unmatched by the capitalist countries.

The article presents an estimate of Stalin's achievements and faults. It was noted that Stalin had great achievements for the development of the Soviet Union and the development of the international communist movement. But Stalin made some serious mistakes in both the internal and external policies of the Soviet Union. His arbitrary method of work impaired to a certain extent the principle of democratic centralism both in the life of the Party and in the state system of the Soviet Union, and disrupted part of the socialist legal system. Because in many· fields of work Stalin estranged himself from. the masses to a serious extent, and made personal, arbitrary decisions concerning many important policies, it was inevitable that he should have made grave mistakes. The reason why some mistakes in Stalin's later period developed into national, long-term, and serious ones and could not be corrected in time is that he broke away from the masses and the collective to a certain extent and destroyed the democratic centralism of the Party and the state. Since his mistakes were those of communists at work, this was a question of right and wrong within the communist ranks, not a question of the enemy and ourselves in the class struggle.

The article raises the issue of opposing doctrinairism and revisionism. One of the grave consequences of Stalin's mistakes was the growth of doctrinairism. While criticizing Stalin's mistakes, the Communist Parties of various countries have waged a struggle against doctrinairism. This struggle was entirely necessary. But by adopting a negative attitude towards everything connected with Stalin, and by putting up the erroneous slogan of "de-Stalinization", some communists have helped to foster a revisionist trend against Marxism-Leninism.

This revisionist trend is undoubtedly of help to the imperialist attack against the communist movement, and the imperialists are in fact making active use of it. While resolutely opposing doctrinairism, we must at the same time resolutely oppose revisionism.

The article raises the question of the international solidarity of the proletariat in all countries. It was pointed out that: one of the most urgent tasks of the proletariat of all countries in its fight against imperialist onslaughts to strengthen its international solidarity.

The imperialists and reactionaries in various countries are trying in a thousand and one ways to make use of narrow nationalist sentiments and of certain national estrangements among the people to wreck this solidarity, thereby destroying the communist cause. Staunch proletarian revolutionaries firmly uphold this solidarity, which they regard as being in the common interest of the working class of all countries.

In order to consolidate the internationalist unity of the socialist countries, the communist parties must seek unity with each other as well as maintain their respective independence. "More on the Historical Experience of Proletarian Dictatorship" gives a realistic account of the basic path of revolution and construction in the Soviet Union and Stalin's successes and failures, and in particular for the first time raises the question of the contradictions of two natures, which is a major development of Marxism.