The Communist Party

The force at the core leading our cause forward is the Chinese Communist Party. The theoretical basis guiding our thinking is Marxism-Leninism.

Source: Opening address at the First Session of the First National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China (September 15, 1954).

領導我們事業的核心力量是中國共產黨。指導我們思想的理論基礎是馬克思列寧主義。

If there is to be revolution, there must be a revolutionary party. Without a revolutionary party, without a party built on the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary theory and in the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary style, it is impossible to lead the working class and the broad masses of the people in defeating imperialism and its running dogs.

Source: "Revolutionary Forces of the World Unite, Fight Against Imperialist Aggression!" (November 1948), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 284.*

既要革命，就要有一個革命黨。沒有一個革命的黨，沒有一個按照馬克思列寧主義的革命理論和革命風格建立起來的革命黨，就不可能領導工人階級和廣大人民群衆戰勝帝國主義及其走狗。

Without the efforts of the Chinese Communist Party, without the Chinese Communists as the mainstay of the Chinese people, China can never achieve independence and liberation, or industrialization and the modernization of her agriculture.

Source: "On Coalition Government" (April 24, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 318.*

沒有中國共產黨的努力，沒有中國共產黨人做中國人民的中流砥柱，中國的獨立和解放是不可能的，中國的工業化和農業近代化也是不可能的。

On Coalition Government — April 1945 political report to the 7th Congress; many quotations on party and masses come from it.

The Chinese Communist Party is the core of leadership of the whole Chinese people. Without this core, the cause of socialism cannot be victorious.

Source: Talk at the general reception for the delegates to the Third National Congress of the New Democratic Youth League of China (May 25, 1957).

中國共產黨是全中國人民的領導核心。沒有這樣一個核心，社會主義事業就不能勝利。

A well-disciplined Party armed with the theory of Marxism-Leninism, using the method of self-criticism and linked with the masses of the people; an army under the leadership of such a Party; a united front of all revolutionary classes and all revolutionary groups under the leadership of such a Party these are the three main weapons with which we have defeated the enemy.

Source: "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship" (June 30, 1949), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 422.

一個有紀律的，有馬克思列寧主義的理論武裝的，採取自我批評方法的，聯繫人民群衆的黨。一個由這樣的黨領導的軍隊。一個由這樣的黨領導的各革命階級各革命派別的統一戰線。這三件是我們戰勝敵人的主要武器。

On the People's Democratic Dictatorship — June 1949, the eve-of-foundation statement of the state's nature.

We must have faith in the masses and we must have faith in the Party. These are two cardinal principles. If we doubt these principles, we shall accomplish nothing.

Source: On the Question of Agricultural Co-operation (.July 31, 1955), 3rd ed., p. 7.*

我們應當相信群衆，我們應當相信黨，這是兩條根本的原理。如果懷疑這兩條原理，那就什麼事情也做不成了。

On the Question of Agricultural Co-operation — July 1955, on the steps and disputes of agricultural co-operation.

Armed with Marxist-Leninist theory and ideology, the Communist Party of China has brought a new style of work to the Chinese people, a style of work which essentially entails integrating theory with practice, forging close links with the masses and practising self-criticism.

Source: "On Coalition Government" (April 24, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 314.*

以馬克思列寧主義的理論思想武裝起來的中國共產黨，在中國人民中產生了新的工作作風，這主要的就是理論和實踐相結合的作風，和人民群衆緊密地聯繫在一起的作風以及自我批評的作風。

On Coalition Government — April 1945 political report to the 7th Congress; many quotations on party and masses come from it.

No political party can possibly lead a great revolutionary movement to victory unless it possesses revolutionary theory and a knowledge of history and has a profound grasp of the practical movement.

Source: "The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War" (October 1938), Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 208.

指導一個偉大的革命運動的政黨，如果沒有革命理論，沒有歷史知識，沒有對於實際運動的深刻的瞭解，要取得勝利是不可能的。

The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War — October 1938, on the Party's role and discipline in the war.

As we used to say, the rectification movement is "a widespread movement of Marxist education". Rectification means the whole Party studying Marxism through criticism and self-criticism. We can certainly learn more about Marxism in the course of the rectification movement.

Source: Speech at the Chinese Communist Party's National Conference on Propaganda Work (March 12, 1957), 1st pocket ed., p. 14.

我們過去說過，整風運動是一個「普遍的馬克思主義的教育運動」。整風就是全黨通過批評和自我批評來學習馬克思主義。在整風中間，我們一定可以更多地學到一些馬克思主義。

It is an arduous task to ensure a better life for the several hundred million people of China and to build our economically and culturally backward country into a prosperous and powerful one with a high level of culture. And it is precisely in order to be able to shoulder this task more competently and work better together with all non-Party people who are actuated by high ideals and determined to institute reforms that we must conduct rectification movements both now and in the future, and constantly rid ourselves of whatever is wrong.

Source: Ibid., pp. 15-16.*

要使幾億人口的中國人生活得好，要把我們這個經濟落後、文化落後的國家，建設成為富裕的、強盛的、具有高度文化的國家，這是一個很艱鉅的任務。我們所以要整風，現在要整風，將來還要整風，要不斷地把我們身上的錯誤東西整掉，就是為了使我們能夠更好地擔負起這項任務，更好地同黨外的一切立志改革的志士仁人共同工作。

Policy is the starting-point of all the practical actions of a revolutionary party and manifests itself in the process and the end-result of that party's actions. A revolutionary party is carrying out a policy whenever it takes any action. If it is not carrying out a correct policy, it is carrying out a wrong policy; if it is not carrying out a given policy consciously, it is doing so blindly. What we call experience is the process and the end-result of carrying out a policy. Only through the practice of the people, that is, through experience, can we verify whether a policy is correct or wrong and determine to what extent it is correct or wrong. But people's practice, especially the practice of a revolutionary party and the revolutionary masses, cannot but be bound up with one policy or another. Therefore, before any action is taken, we must explain the policy, which we have formulated in the light of the given circumstances, to Party members and to the masses. Otherwise, Party members and the masses will depart from the guidance of our policy, act blindly and carry out a wrong policy.

Source: "On the Policy Concerning Industry and Commerce" (February 27, 1948), Selected Works, Vol. IV. pp. 204-05.*

政策是革命政黨一切實際行動的出發點，並且表現於行動的過程和歸宿。一個革命政黨的任何行動都是實行政策。不是實行正確的政策，就是實行錯誤的政策；不是自覺地，就是盲目地實行某種政策。所謂經驗，就是實行政策的過程和歸宿。政策必須在人民實踐中，也就是經驗中，才能證明其正確與否，才能確定其正確和錯誤的程度。但是，人們的實踐，特別是革命政黨和革命群衆的實踐，沒有不同這種或那種政策相聯繫的。因此，在每一行動之前，必須向黨員和群衆講明我們按情況規定的政策。否則，黨員和群衆就會脫離我們政策的領導而盲目行動，執行錯誤的政策。

Our Party has laid down the general line and general policy of the Chinese revolution as well as various specific lines for work and specific policies. However, while many comrades remember our Party's specific lines for work and specific policies, they often forget its general line and general policy. If we actually forget the Party's general line and general policy, then we shall be blind, half-baked, muddle-headed revolutionaries, and when we carry out a specific line for work and a specific policy, we shall lose our bearings and vacillate now to the left and now to the right, and the work will suffer.

Source: "Speech at a Conference of Cadres in the Shansi-Suiyuan Liberated Area" (April 1, 1948), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 238.*

我黨規定了中國革命的總路線和總政策，又規定了各項具體的工作路線和各項具體的政策。但是，許多同志往往記住了我黨的具體的個別的工作路線和政策，忘記了我黨的總路線和總政策。而如果真正忘記了我黨的總路線和總政策，我們就將是一個盲目的不完全的不清醒的革命者，在我們執行具體工作路線和具體政策的時候，就會迷失方向，就會左右搖擺，就會貽誤我們的工作。

Policy and tactics are the life of the Party; leading comrades at all levels must give them full attention and must never on any account be negligent.

Source: "A Circular on the Situation" (March 20, 1948), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 220.

政策和策略是黨的生命，各級領導同志務必充分注意，萬萬不可粗心大意。