Thursday, May 2, 2019
China: The May 4th 1919 Movement by Mao Zedong
May 1939
[Comrade Mao Zedong wrote this article for newspapers in Yenan to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the May 4th Movement.]
The May 4th Movement twenty years ago marked a new stage in China's bourgeois-democratic revolution against imperialism and feudalism. The cultural reform movement which grew out of the May 4th Movement was only one of the manifestations of this revolution. With the growth and development of new social forces in that period, a powerful camp made its appearance in the bourgeois-democratic revolution, a camp consisting of the working class, the student masses and the new national bourgeoisie. Around the time of the May 4th Movement, hundreds of thousands of students courageously took their place in the van. In these respects the May 4th Movement went a step beyond the Revolution of 1911.
If we trace China's bourgeois-democratic revolution back to its formative period, we see that it has passed through a number of stages in its development: the Opium War, the War of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Sino-Japanese War of 1894,[1] the Reform Movement of 1898,[2] the Yi Ho Tuan Movement,[3] the Revolution of 1911, the May 4th Movement, the Northern Expedition, and the War of the Agrarian Revolution.
The present War of Resistance Against Japan is yet another stage, and is the greatest, most vigorous and most dynamic stage of all. The bourgeois-democratic revolution can be considered accomplished only when the forces of foreign imperialism and domestic feudalism have basically been overthrown and an independent democratic state has been established.
From the Opium War onwards each stage in the development of the revolution has had its own distinguishing characteristics. But the most important feature differentiating them is whether they came before or after the emergence of the Communist Party. However, taken as a whole, all the stages bear the character of a bourgeois-democratic revolution The aim of this democratic revolution is to establish a social system hitherto unknown in Chinese history, namely, a democratic social system having a feudal society (during the last hundred years a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society) as its precursor and a socialist society as its successor.
If anyone asks why a Communist should strive to bring into being first a bourgeois-democratic society and then a socialist society, our answer is: we are following the inevitable course of history.
China's democratic revolution depends on definite social forces for its accomplishment. These social forces are the working class, the peasantry, the intelligentsia and the progressive section of the bourgeoisie, that is, the revolutionary workers, peasants, soldiers, students and intellectuals, and businessmen, with the workers and peasants as the basic revolutionary forces and the workers as the class which leads the revolution. It is impossible to accomplish the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolution without these basic revolutionary forces and without the leadership of the working class.
Today, the principal enemies of the revolution are the Japanese imperialists and the Chinese traitors, and the fundamental policy in the revolution is the policy of the Anti-Japanese National United Front, consisting of all workers, peasants, soldiers, students and intellectuals, and businessmen who are against Japanese aggression. Final victory in the War of Resistance will be won when this united front is greatly consolidated and developed.
In the Chinese democratic revolutionary movement, it was the intellectuals who were the first to awaken. This was clearly demonstrated both in the Revolution of 1911 and in the May 4th Movement, and in the days of the May 4th Movement the intellectuals were more numerous and more politically conscious than in the days of the Revolution of 1911. But the intellectuals will accomplish nothing if they fail to integrate themselves with the workers and peasants.
In the final analysis, the dividing line between revolutionary intellectuals and non-revolutionary or counter-revolutionary intellectuals is whether or not they are willing to integrate themselves with the workers and peasants and actually do so. Ultimately it is this alone, and not professions of faith in the Three People's Principles or in Marxism, that distinguishes one from the other. A true revolutionary must be one who is willing to integrate himself with the workers and peasants and actually does so.
It is now twenty years since the May 4th Movement and almost two years since the outbreak of the anti-Japanese war. The young people and the cultural circles of the whole country bear a heavy responsibility in the democratic revolution and the War of Resistance. I hope they will understand the character and the motive forces of the Chinese revolution, make their work serve the workers and peasants, go into their midst and become propagandists and organizers among them. Victory will be ours when the entire people arises against Japan. Young people of the whole country, bestir yourselves!
NOTES
1. The Sino-Japanese War of 1894 was started by Japanese imperialism for the purpose of invading Korea and China. Many Chinese soldiers and some patriotic generals put up a heroic fight. But China suffered defeat because of the corruption of the Ching government and its failure to prepare resistance. In 1895 the Ching government concluded the shameful Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan.
2. For the Reform Movement of 1898 see "On Protracted War", Note 8, p. 191 of this volume.
3. The Yi Ho Tuan Movement was the anti-imperialist armed struggle which took place in northern China in 1900. The broad masses of peasants, handicraftsmen and other people took part in this movement. Getting in touch with one another through religious and other channels, they organized themselves on the basis of secret societies and waged a heroic struggle against the joint forces of aggression of the eight imperialist powers--the United States, Britain, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, Italy and Austria. The movement was put down with indescribable savagery after the joint forces of aggression occupied Tientsin and Peking.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
U.S. Hybrid War On Venezuela Entered Hot Phase
Democracy and Class Struggle says the outline plan for US Hybrid War in Venezuela has been published in Cuba here;
http://en.granma.cu/mundo/2019-04-30/us-master-plan-to-destroy-bolivarian-venezuela?fbclid=IwAR2phzm0alkZ7BLxxf4KwWbdBJk1S3OvNPLvDW-qaWbZGwDsfKjO_9T1Jzk
Our Advice to Cuba
Given United States rhetoric against Cuba who it blames for recent defeat in Venezuela - Cuba should stop its liberalization which is nothing more than United States softening them up for the kill.
Any opening towards the United States increases Cuba's vulnerability
Red May Day Statement 2019- Irish Socialist Republicans
On International Workers Day 2019, Irish Socialist Republicans extend revolutionary greetings and solidarity to the international working class in the struggle against Capitalism and Imperialism.
We extend our solidarity to all oppressed peoples around the world who continue to struggle for national liberation and socialism.
Today, in particular we extend our solidarity to all comrades who find themselves imprisoned for daring to struggle, for daring to win the liberation of our class from the forces of Imperialist Reaction.
To the revolutionaries who continue to wage Peoples Wars from Palestine to the Philippines, from India to the jungles of South America and to the revolutionary forces working to build organisations guided by the revolutionary science of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism in Europe, America and elsewhere in the world, we salute your efforts. Your struggle is our struggle and every victory against Imperialism is a victory for the international proletariat.
On International Workers Day 2019, the Irish Working Class remains exploited and oppressed. In the occupied Six Counties, Britain maintains it's illegal occupation by force of arms, against the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the Irish Working Class. In the 26 counties the EUs word is law.
The entire Nation, Our People, Our Wealth and Resources are being exploited on a daily basis by vultures from Britain, Europe and North America. These Robber Barons are facilitated and supported by a Garrison Class of Gombeen Capitalists, who administer two pro Imperialists states in Ireland on behalf of Imperialism and grow richer and richer through the continued exploitation of the working class.
We note with concern the rise of the far right in Ireland over the last 12 months, organised and funded by foregin Imperialism. Right wing racists have nothing to offer the Irish Working Class and we have no intention of standing idly by and allowing the posion of fascism gain a foothold in Ireland. Irish Socialist Republicans commit to making the struggle against fascism a key priority and call on all other progressives to do likewise!
Our Class is faced with an engineered housing and homelessness crisis deliberately manafactured to create super profits for the Garrison Class and fill the pockets of Landlords and the Imperialists. We are faced with a never ending health crisis that has resulted in incalculable deaths. Today, the Working Class continues to be exploited through low pay, precarious work and lack of organisation, while working class communities have been left largely to fend for themselves through generations of deliberate neglect by the Free State.
The struggles of our Class can not be won through participation in Capitalist Elections, a system that only lures those who contest them with good intentions into defending capitalism and Imperialism.
Irish Socialist Republicans assert that the oppression and exploitation of the Working Class can only be ended through organisation. Our Class must organise to confront our enemies on our own terms, how and when and where we choose. Capitalism and Imperialism cannot be reformed. They cannot be altered, they must be destroyed. Only through the rebuilding of the All Ireland Socialist Republic, can the Irish Working class be free. Everything else is doomed to continue the cycles of exploitaion and Oppression.
Through our revolutionary organisations, Anti Imperialist Action, The Anti Eviction Flying Column and Macradh- ISR Youth, combined with our work in communities, Trade Unions and millitant Working Class campaigns, such as #Bringittotheirdoors, a campaign currently striking fear into the very heart of the Free State, Irish Socialist Republicans are working day and daily to organise advanced sections of the working class, mobilise them against capitalism and Imperialism and strike for National Liberation and Socialism.
This is the Socialist Republican Alternative.
Through our growing #OurMandate #OurRepublic campaign we are building our revolutionary Alternative to the counter revolution and Imperialism in Ireland.
On International Workers Day 2019, we reassert that Irish Socialist Republicans will continue the struggle for National Liberation and Socialism until it's inevitable victory. We believe the All Ireland Socialist Republic can and will only he rebuilt through the establishment of an Anti Imperialist Broad Front that unites Socialist Republicans and other progressives in a disciplined working class movement to fight for our Republic.
The building of such an Anti Imperialist Broad Front remains our immediate priority. This revolutionary work begins in our own communities, building Resistance Committees that will agitate, educate and organise Working Class communities to become centers of Resistance against the Garrison Class, Capitalism and Imperialism. The Resistance Committees and Centers of Resistance, will be linked up to form the blocks we use to Rebuild the All Ireland Socialist Republic!
A further key battleground for Irish Socialist Republicans is the reconquest of Ireland and the Irish Language. The learning and speaking of Irish is a revolutionary act and a key weapon in the fight against Imperialism. We commit to continue to develop the fight against cultural Imperialism by learning and using the Irish Language and we encourage all working class revolutionaries to do the same.
Make no mistake, this is a class war and our enemies are well organised!
It's time for the Working Class to get organised and fight back!
Build the Anti Imperialist Broad Front- Rebuild the All Ireland Socialist Republic!
For National Liberation and Socialism- This is Our Mandate, This is Our Republic!
All Power to the Workers!
CNN Lies on Venezuela and US Cyber command Shit posting on Venezuela
Democracy and Class Struggle says apart from the mainstream media lies at BBC and CNN and Fox News on Venezuela there is a literal army of military cyber warriors shit storming the internet with attacks on the Maduro Government.
“CNN live in Venezuela as Maduro government mows down citizens in streets,” Tapper of CNN tweeted with a link that leads to a CNN video report starting with an image of a number of army defectors fighting on the side of the opposition.
The video includes footage of what appears to be a National Guard truck hitting civilians, but Tapper’s tweet implies Maduro is gunning down citizens by using an image of soldiers with weapons.
According to AFP, the soldiers are members of the Bolivarian National Guard who have joined the opposition headed by self-declared ‘interim president’ Juan Guaido.
Tapper was soon called out by a crowd of irritated social media users who accused him of fake news, propaganda, “manufacturing consent,” and of failing to take two minutes to verify the image and claim he was making.
“A reporter would verify the picture and in two minutes would learn that the blue armbands are a sign of the mutinying troops,” journalist Vijay Prashad pointed out.
May Day 2019 Declaration of Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr
Welsh Socialist Republicans rejects the fake "independence" of Plaid Cymru which replaces capitalist Britain with capitalist Europe.
We will not be party to utilizing Plaid Cymru's Welsh Bourgeois Nationalism to put a new set of bureaucrat capitalists in power in Wales to better serve the Eurocrats of Brussels rather than London
The Welsh Socialist Republicans believes the only class in Wales which is capable of leading Wales to the new democracy of autonomous self government in Wales is the working class.
That is true Welsh Independence !
Our Welsh national struggle is ultimately a class struggle an insight developed by John Maclean for Scotland and James Connolly for Ireland but eludes the Welsh National Movement.
In the struggle for national and social liberation in Wales we need to enlist the support of English, Scottish and the Irish working class and other national minorities.
Organizationally we seek to strengthen ties with working class organizations throughout the British Isles to support working class power in Wales, as this will also give a base area for their class struggles against the British State.
We are Welsh Socialist Republicans with the working class spirit of the Miners Next Step of 1912 we believe in the power of our class the working class to change Wales and the world.
Long live the spirit of the Great Unrest of 1910-12 - Long Live the Welsh Socialist Republican Congress – Long Live Welsh Socialist Republicanism.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)