Maoism

Poster promoting Maoism from the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement.

This page is about the modern ideology. For related tendencies also called "Maoism," see Maoism (disambiguation)

Maoism, known fully as Marxism–Leninism–Maoism (MLM), is a communist ideology which claims to represent a universal doctrine, basing itself off the contributions of Mao Zedong of the Communist Party of China. Described by its adherents as a "third stage" of Marxism, it incorporates theories such as protracted people's war, New Democracy, cultural revolution, etc. to form a "qualitative leap" in Marxist theory. While traditional Marxism–Leninism focused primarily on the industrial proletariat as the leading revolutionary class, Marxism–Leninism–Maoism, drawing heavily from Mao's experiences in China, recognizes the poor peasantry as the main engine of revolutionary change in pre-industrial, semi-colonial, and semi-feudal societies. There are internal disagreements in Maoism, with some favoring the line of the Communist Party of the Philippines while others siding with the Communist Party of Peru (Shining Path), the latter grouping are known as "Gonzaloists".

Maoism has been criticized by most Marxist–Leninists for failing to meaningfully advance revolutionary theory and applying a dogmatic outlook. Hoxhaists in particular view MLM as being an extension of the revisionism of Mao Zedong Thought which Enver Hoxha sharply criticized during the Sino-Albanian split.

History

Origins

Marxism–Leninism–Maoism has its origins in Mao Zedong Thought. While initially believed to only be applicable to Chinese conditions, Mao Zedong Thought was recognized at the 9th congress of the Communist Party of China in 1969 as having a universal scope and representing a new stage in Marxism.

Development

Maoism as Marxism–Leninism–Maoism was recognized by the Communist Party of Peru (Shining Path) in the 1980s as being the most advanced form of Marxism. In 1988, the writing On Marxism–Leninism–Maoism was released by the PCP-SL which provided a basis for the universal theory. In the 1980s, during the communist insurgency in Peru, increased unity between Maoist parties and other formations resulted in the formation of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement, composed of Maoist parties globally.

Theory

Maoism claims to adopt and expand upon the theory of Marxism–Leninism, but also includes a sizable corpus of its own theory.

Anti-revisionism

Main article: Anti-revisionism

Maoists uphold anti-revisionism as a foundational tenant of their ideology, believing revisionism to be the primary cause of degradation in the international communist movement and behind the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

"Revisionism obviously is a cancer, a cancer that has to be ruthlessly eliminated. Otherwise we won’t be able to advance the revolution. Remembering what Lenin said, in a concise way, we must forge ahead on two questions, the question of revolutionary violence, and the relentless struggle against opportunism, against revisionism." —Chairman Gonzalo, Interview with Chairman Gonzalo

Necessity of people's war

Main article: Protracted people's war

Maoists uphold protracted people's war as being applicable to countries outside of China. The extent to which it is universal is disputed by Maoists, with some (particularly Gonzaloists) regarding it as universal and the sole means of revolution, even in the industrial countries.

Mass line

The "mass line" is the Maoist theory of the communist party interacting with the masses. With the mass line, the Maoist communist party hears the grievances of the masses and answers them with communist solutions.

"Take the ideas of the masses and concentrate them, then go to the masses, persevere in the ideas and carry them through, so as to form correct ideas of leadership - such is the basic method of leadership." —Mao Zedong, Some Questions Concerning Methods of Leadership

Bureaucrat capitalism

Main article: Bureaucrat capitalism

"Bureaucrat capitalism" is the Maoist concept of the economic system established in imperialized countries. With bureaucrat capitalism, the local feudal strata combine with the comprador bourgeoisie to establish an exploitative system for the benefit of the imperialist bourgeoisie.

Cultural revolution

Main article: Cultural revolution

Maoists generally uphold the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in China and believe that cultural revolutions are needed in order to prevent the formation of a "bourgeois headquarters" in the communist party.

"Social-imperialism" as a returning threat

Main article: Social-imperialism

Maoists maintain that the Soviet Union after around 1956 became "social-imperialist," and believe that China developed a social-imperialist system around 1978. Maoists view social-imperialism as one of the main forms of imperialism in the modern day and a threat to the communist movement.

Unity-struggle-unity and two-line struggle

Maoists believe that the party process operates on the basis of "unity, struggle, unity." This means that an ideological struggle takes place within the party on the basis of "one divides into two," and through proper two-line struggle, unity is restored and the rightist line is combated.

"This democratic method of resolving contradictions among the people was epitomized in 1942 in the formula 'unity, criticism, unity'. To elaborate, it means starting from the desire for unity, resolving contradictions through criticism or struggle and arriving at a new unity on a new basis. In our experience this is the correct method of resolving contradictions among the people." —Mao Zedong, On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People

Further reading

• On Marxism–Leninism–Maoism (1988), by the Communist Party of Peru (Shining Path). Available on Red Library.
• Marxism–Leninism–Maoism Basic Course (2019) (5th ed.), by the Communist Party of India (Maoist)

See also

• Revolutionary Internationalist Movement
• International Communist League (2022)