Mao Zedong Quotes

A collection of quotes by Mao Zedong.

Mao Zedong (1893-1976) was a Chinese communist leader and one of the most influential figures in modern Chinese history. Born into a peasant family in Hunan province, Mao became involved in revolutionary activities during his early years. In 1921, he co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and played a prominent role in the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

As the Chairman of the CCP, Mao initiated numerous social and economic policies that aimed to transform China into a socialist society. He launched the Great Leap Forward in 1958, a campaign to rapidly industrialize the country and collectivize agriculture. However, this policy resulted in widespread famine and economic setbacks, causing the death of millions of people.

In 1966, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution, a movement aimed at purging perceived counter-revolutionary elements from Chinese society. This socio-political upheaval brought about mass chaos, political persecutions, and further economic disarray.

Despite the setbacks and failures of his policies, Mao is still revered by many in China as a heroic figure who helped to liberate the nation from imperialism and feudalism. His leadership and ideologies had a profound impact on Chinese society and politics, shaping the country for decades after his death.

Mao Zedong passed away in 1976, leaving a highly contentious legacy as one of the most influential and controversial leaders of the 20th century.

Classes struggle, some classes triumph, others are eliminate

Classes struggle, some classes triumph, others are eliminated. Such is history such is the history of civilization for thousands of years.

Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of though

Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend.

Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with

Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.

Take the ideas of the masses (scattered and unsystematic ide

Take the ideas of the masses (scattered and unsystematic ideas) and concentrate them (through study turn them into concentrated and systematic ideas), then go to the masses and propagate and explain these ideas until the masses embrace them as their own, hold fast to them and translate them into action, and test the correctness of these ideas in such action. Then once again concentrate ideas from the masses and once again go to the masses so that the ideas are persevered in and carried through. And so on, over and over again in an endless spiral, with the ideas becoming more correct, more vital and richer each time. Such is the Marxist theory of knowledge.

An army without culture is a dull-witted army, and a dull-wi

An army without culture is a dull-witted army, and a dull-witted army cannot defeat the enemy.

So long as a person who has made mistakes... honestly and si

So long as a person who has made mistakes... honestly and sincerely wishes to be cured and to mend his ways, we should welcome him and cure his sickness so that he can become a good comrade. We can never succeed if we just let ourselves go and lash at h

The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in th

The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.

War can only be abolished through war, and in order to get r

War can only be abolished through war, and in order to get rid of the gun it is necessary to take up the gun.

I have witnessed the tremendous energy of the masses. On thi

I have witnessed the tremendous energy of the masses. On this foundation it is possible to accomplish any task whatsoever.

Our attitude towards ourselves should be to be satiable in l

Our attitude towards ourselves should be to be satiable in learning and towards others to be tireless in teaching.

Despise the enemy strategically, but take him seriously tact

Despise the enemy strategically, but take him seriously tactically.

If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the

If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.

Genuine equality between the sexes can only be realized in t

Genuine equality between the sexes can only be realized in the process of the socialist transformation of society as a whole.

Women hold up half the sky.

Women hold up half the sky.

The cardinal responsibility of leadership is to identify the

The cardinal responsibility of leadership is to identify the dominant contradiction at each point of the historical process and to work out a central line to resolve it.

The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass;

The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue.

Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows

Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.

Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of t

Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting the progress of the arts and the sciences and a flourishing culture in our land.

All the reputedly powerful reactionaries are merely paper ti

All the reputedly powerful reactionaries are merely paper tigers. The reason is that they are divorced from the people. Look! Was not Hitler a paper tiger? Was Hitler not overthrown? U.S. imperialism has not yet been overthrown and it has the atomic bomb. I believe it also will be overthrown. It, too, is a paper tiger.

Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive

Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive. The contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power, but also a contest of human power and morale. Military and economic power is necessarily wielded by people.