The Thought that the Masses Are the Creators of History

Marxist thought and theory on the role and place of the masses in the development of history.

Who is the creator of the history of human society? Before the emergence of Marxism, both materialism and idealism advocated the heroistic conception of history. Subjective idealism held that history was made by a few heroes, emperors, whose thoughts, wills, wishes, talents and other spiritual factors determined the process of development of history; and objective idealism held that history was created by the intellectual forces behind heroic figures, and that it was the externalization of the mandate of heaven or of the absolute spirit. The heroistic conception of history held that the masses were fools, lacking will and thought, and can only be dominated by heroes. Based on the principles of historical materialism, Marx and Engels emphasized that social being determines social consciousness, and that the development of human society is ultimately determined and conditioned by the production and development of material means. The mode of production of material means governs the whole process of social development, and is the decisive force of the development of human society. The masses are the subject of material production and therefore the subject of the history of society, the creators of history. Lenin pointed out that earlier historical theories at best examined only the ideological motives in the historical activities of human beings, without examining the material origins of those motives, so that the part played by the masses in history could not be seen. In On the Coalition Government, Mao Zedong clearly pointed out: “People, and the people alone, are the driving force of world history.” Xi Jinping emphasized: “The people are the true heroes, for it is they who create history.” “We must place the people in the highest position in our hearts” and resolutely establish the thought of “putting people at the center.”

Historical materialism holds that the masses are the creators of history. Masses refer to all the people who have an impact which pushes forward the history of society. Masses is a historical category, but at all times, the working people engaged in the production of the material means of life are the chief and stable part of the masses. In ancient society, the working people were the slaves, the peasantry and other working people; since the modern industrial revolution, the working people are the working class and other working people. The part played by the masses in making history is chiefly manifested in: First of all, the masses are the creators of the material wealth of society. In order to make history, people first need material means of living such as food, drink and shelter. The material means of life human society depends on are produced and created by working people in their labor to change nature. In the material productive activity, the masses constantly accumulate experience, improve technology, innovate tools, further the continuous development of the productive forces of society, and promote historical progress in “quiet labors”. Further, the masses are the creators of the spiritual wealth of society. The practice of material production of the working people create the material premise of the production of spiritual culture. Moreover, all scientific, artistic and other cultural creations are ultimately the result of abstraction and generalization based on the practical experience of the masses. The practice of material production is the source of creation of all intellectual products. Further, the masses are the determining force of social revolutions. The masses constantly push forward the development of production, and the constant improvement of the productive forces inevitably leads to revolutions in the relations of production up until an all-round change of the social formation. In class society, the revolutions in the relations of production and the struggle of the new social system for replacing the old one are all achieved through the class struggle of the masses. The masses are the main force and the decisive force of social revolutions. With the deepening of historical activities, the ranks of the masses are bound to expand. Of course, historical materialism acknowledges the decisive part played by the masses in making history, but it also fully affirms the role of the individual and heroes in history. Historical necessity is manifested through the contingency of individual activities. Heroes or leaders play a significant role, as a lever of or a fetter upon the development of history, but they cannot change the general direction of historical development. Finally, the fact that the masses are the creators of history does not mean that they make it as they please. The masses of each epoch make their history on the premise of the established productive forces and the relations of production, and in conformity with the laws of development of society.

The thought that the masses are the creators of history is an important principle of historical materialism. For the first time, it has subverted the view that heroes make history. It is a new scientific conception of history. At the same time, it is also the basic content and the theoretical basis of the mass line and mass viewpoint. Xi Jinping emphasized to study and grasp the viewpoint that the masses are the creators of history, to insist on taking the realization, protection and development of the fundamental interests of the broadest people as the starting point and stopover point of pushing forward the reform, and to let the fruits of development benefit all people in and in a fairer manner.