The Theory of National Democratic Revolution in the Epoch of Proletarian Revolution

The theory on the path and the tactics of struggle of the colonial and semi-colonial peoples and all oppressed nations and oppressed peoples against colonialism, imperialism and feudalism and for national independence and democracy in the epoch of proletarian revolution.

In modern times, with the expansion of capitalism world-wide, the Western powers frantically invaded and occupied large areas of land in Africa, Asia and other regions as their colonies, plundering their resources and fruits of labor. During the imperialist period, the monopoly bourgeoisie colluded with the feudal forces in the colonies and semi-colonies, forming a double oppression of imperialism and feudalism, which determined the dual nature of the revolutionary movements in these countries as anti-imperialist and anti-feudal. Marx and Engels emphasized that the national question is not an isolated question, but a part of the general question of social revolution. Lenin pointed out that in the epoch of imperialism the peoples of the world have been divided into two major parts, the oppressing and the oppressed nations, and that the question of national liberation was not only a question of the liberation of the weaker nations of Europe, but of the independence and liberation of the oppressed nations of the whole world. Before the October Socialist Revolution, the revolutionary movements of the colonial and semi-colonial oppressed peoples were national democratic revolutions under the leadership of the bourgeoisie; but after the October Revolution, world history entered the epoch of proletarian socialist revolution, and the liberation movement of the colonies and semi-colonies became an ally of the proletarian world revolution. Mao Zedong said: “It is no longer part of the old bourgeois, or capitalist, world revolution, but is part of the new world revolution, the proletarian-socialist world revolution.”

The key here is the leadership of the proletariat. Marx and Engels put forth that the proletariat must maintain its ideological and organizational independence when participating in the bourgeois democratic movement. Lenin for the first time clearly put forth and systematically argued for the leadership of the proletariat in the democratic revolution. Only by upholding the leadership of the proletariat can the national democratic revolution completely shake off the control of imperialism, overthrow the feudal landlord class, and lead the people to the path of socialist development and successfully achieve the task of transforming the democratic revolution into a socialist revolution. The peasants are the most important ally, and the revolution can only be won if the proletariat relies on the poor peasants and has the support of the broad masses of peasants. Of course, this also includes uniting all revolutionary forces of other classes that are willing to oppose imperialism and feudalism. For example, in the new-democratic revolution in China, Mao Zedong proposed to unite the national bourgeoisie in a common struggle. He also said that the leader must fulfil two conditions in order to exercise its leadership of the led: (1) Lead those who are led (allies) to wage resolute struggles against the common enemy and achieve victories; (2) Bring material benefits to those who are led or at least not damage their interests and at the same time give them political education.

The theory of national democratic revolution in the epoch of proletarian revolution has pointed out the nature, tasks, targets, leading force and the forces to rely on of the revolution, and so forth, and was of great guiding significance for the proletarian revolution.