The Core Idea of Mao Zedong’s View of Marxism

In his speech “At the Meeting Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC” in December 2008, Comrade Hu Jintao explicitly raised the question of “what is Marxism and how to treat Marxism,” and placed it first among the four major theoretical and practical questions that our Party had explored and answered since reform and opening up. This speech elevated the study of the view of Marxism to a prominent position in theoretical work.

胡锦涛同志2008年12月《在纪念党的十一届三中全会召开30周年大会上的讲话》中，明确提出了“什么是马克思主义、怎样对待马克思主义”的问题，并且把它列在改革开放以来我们党探索和回答的四个重大理论和实际问题之首。这个讲话把马克思主义观的研究提到了理论工作的突出位置。

Mao Zedong was a great Marxist and the founder of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. To explore and answer the question “what is Marxism and how to treat Marxism,” it is necessary to conduct an in-depth study of Mao Zedong’s view of Marxism. Mao Zedong’s view of Marxism is a treasure trove of rich thought. The ideological principle he proposed—integrating the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete realities of China—is the red thread running through it and the core of Mao Zedong’s view of Marxism. We can grasp Mao Zedong’s view of Marxism around this core. This article offers a preliminary exploration of the formation and establishment of this ideological principle and its relationship with Mao Zedong Thought and with Mao Zedong’s view of Marxism.

毛泽东是伟大的马克思主义者，是马克思主义中国化的开创人。探索和回答“什么是马克思主义、怎样对待马克思主义”的问题，必须深入研究毛泽东的马克思主义观。毛泽东的马克思主义观是一座内藏丰富的思想宝库，毛泽东提出的把马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合的思想原则是贯穿在其中的一条红线，是毛泽东的马克思主义观的核心，我们可以围绕这一核心去把握毛泽东的马克思主义观。本文对这一思想原则的形成、确立及其与毛泽东思想的关系、与毛泽东的马克思主义观的关系作一些初步的探讨。

I. The Formation and Establishment of the “Integration” Principle and the Formation and Establishment of the Guiding

一、“结合”原则的形成、确立与毛泽东思想的形成及其指导

Role of Mao Zedong Thought Are the Same Process

地位的确立是同一个过程

On September 15, 1956, in his opening address to the Eighth National Congress of the CPC, Mao Zedong said: “Closely linking the theory of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of the Chinese revolution—this has always been a consistent ideological principle of our Party.” Shortly after the Eighth Congress, Deng Xiaoping, in response to questions from an international youth delegation, further elaborated on this ideological principle: “Eleven years ago, the Seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China established the principle of integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution, thereby guiding our revolution and our construction. This principle was summed up by our Party and Comrade Mao Zedong based on the experience of failures and successes in past revolutions, and was affirmed at both the Seventh and Eighth Party Congresses.” These statements indicate that the ideological principle of “integration” was founded by the CPC represented by Mao Zedong, was solemnly established by the Seventh and Eighth Party Congresses, and is a summation of the Party’s long-term historical experience.

1956年9月15日，毛泽东在党的八大的开幕词中说：“把马克思列宁主义的理论和中国革命的实践密切地联系起来，这是我们党的一贯的思想原则。”八大后不久，邓小平在回答国际青年代表团的提问时对这一思想原则作了进一步阐述：“十一年前，中国共产党第七次全国代表大会确定了这样的原则，即马克思列宁主义的普遍真理与中国革命的具体实践相结合，以此来指导我国的革命，指导我国的建设。这个原则是我们党和毛泽东同志根据过去革命中失败和成功的经验总结起来，并在第七、第八两次党代表大会上加以肯定的。”这些论述指出了“结合”的思想原则是由毛泽东为代表的中国共产党人创立的，是由党的七大、八大郑重确立的，是党的长期历史经验的总结。

Mao Zedong’s thought on “integration” underwent a process of formation and development. This was a process that accompanied and developed synchronously with all of Mao Zedong’s practice and all of his thought, and it was also a process in which our Party’s theory and practice gradually matured.

毛泽东关于“结合”的思想有一个形成、发展的过程，这是一个与毛泽东的全部实践和全部思想相随而行、同步发展的过程，也是我们党的理论和实践逐步走向成熟的过程。

When the young Mao Zedong was studying at Hunan First Normal School, he was influenced by the Xiang school’s academic style, which valued practical statecraft and advocated “seeking truth from facts.” He focused on reading the “book without words,” understanding the actual conditions of society, and even went on “study tours” to various counties. After the baptism of the May Fourth Movement, Mao Zedong established his belief in Marxism. In a letter to Cai Hesen and others in December 1920, he expressed “deep agreement” with Cai Hesen’s proposal to “approve of Marx’s methods.” In a letter to Cai Hesen in January 1921, Mao Zedong had already explicitly stated that “historical materialism is the philosophical basis of our Party.” At the same time, Mao Zedong placed greater emphasis on deeply understanding China’s actual national conditions. He believed that we “certainly cannot detach ourselves from the ‘China’ arena. Regarding the situation within this arena, it seems we cannot but conduct on-the-spot investigation and research.” On the one hand, he accepted Marxism; on the other, he devoted himself to deeply understanding China’s reality. From the connection between these two aspects, we can already see the ideological source from which Mao Zedong later formed the principle of “integration.”

青年毛泽东在湖南第一师范上学时，就受到重视经世致用、倡导“实事求是”的湘学士风的影响，注重读“无字之书”，了解社会实际情况，并曾到各县“游学”。经过五四运动的洗礼，毛泽东确立了马克思主义的信仰。他在1920年12月致蔡和森等人的信中，对于蔡和森提出的“赞成马克思的方法”的主张，“表示深切的赞同”。在1921年1月致蔡和森的信中，毛泽东已明确提出“唯物史观是吾党哲学的根据”。与此同时，毛泽东更加重视深入了解中国实际国情，他认为，我们“当然脱不开‘中国’这个地盘。关于这地盘内的情形，似不可不加以实地的调查及研究”。一方面接受了马克思主义，一方面致力于深入了解中国实际，从这二者的关联中，我们已经可以看到后来毛泽东形成“结合”原则的思想源头。

Mao Zedong participated in the founding of the CPC and, after the Party’s establishment, threw himself into the Party’s organizational and leadership work, the work of Kuomintang-CPC cooperation, and the workers’ and peasants’ movements. In September 1926, summarizing his experience, he wrote: “Taught for one year, did two years of workers’ movement, half a year of peasants’ movement, and one year of organizational work for the Kuomintang.” The “Analysis of the Classes in Chinese Society” written in 1925 and the “Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan” written in 1927 represent Mao Zedong’s theoretical achievements during this period in applying Marxism to understand Chinese society and the Chinese revolution. Leading the Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927 and establishing the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area were important steps Mao Zedong took on the path of exploring the integration of Marxism with China’s reality. This step was taken out of the urgent needs of China’s revolutionary practice. In 1964, Mao Zedong recalled: “At the Peasant Movement Training Institute, I also talked about the importance of fighting, but I never thought of engaging in military affairs myself, of going to war. Later, I led people into battle and went up to Jinggangshan.” He said, “We must thank Generalissimo Chiang for giving us lessons.” [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC was held in Yan’an in April 1945, just before the Seventh National Congress. The “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions” was a key document that summarized the Party’s history and affirmed Mao Zedong’s leadership. In the practice of leading China’s agrarian revolutionary war, Mao Zedong placed great importance on investigating and researching actual conditions, conducted large-scale investigations many times, and developed a fairly systematic body of thought on investigation and research. The article “Oppose Book Worship,” written in May 1930, focused on the issue of investigation and research. Mao Zedong himself was very fond of this article, originally titled “Investigation Work.” When he saw it again in 1961, he said: “I like this one.” “I looked for it everywhere before but couldn’t find it; it was like losing a child.” [2]2 Liu Shaoqi (1898–1969) was a senior leader of the CPC and later Chairman of the People’s Republic of China (1959–1968). His report on revising the Party Constitution at the Seventh National Congress formally enshrined Mao Zedong Thought as the Party’s guiding ideology. The article states: “Marxist ‘books’ must be studied, but they must be integrated with the actual conditions of our country.” Here, the idea of integrating the universal truth of Marxism with China’s reality was already very close to the explicit formulation that came later.

毛泽东参加了中国共产党的创建，并在建党后投入到党的组织领导工作、国共合作工作和工人运动、农民运动之中。1926年9月，他概括自己的经历时写到：“教过一年书，做过两年工人运动，半年农民运动，一年国民党的组织工作。”1925年写的《中国社会各阶级的分析》和1927年写的《湖南农民运动考察报告》，代表了毛泽东这一时期在实践中运用马克思主义认识中国社会和中国革命的思想理论成果。1927年领导秋收起义和开辟井冈山革命根据地，是毛泽东在探索马克思主义同中国实际相结合的道路上迈出的重要一步。这一步是基于中国革命实践的迫切需要而走出来的。毛泽东在1964年曾回顾说，自己“在农民运动讲习所也讲过打仗的重要，可就是从来没有想到自己去搞军事，要去打仗。后来自己带人打起仗来，上了井冈山”。他说要“谢谢蒋委员长给我们上课。”在领导中国土地革命战争的实践中，毛泽东高度重视对实际情况的调查研究，多次开展大规模的调查，并且形成了相当系统的关于调查研究的思想。写作于1930年5月的《反对本本主义》一文，集中论述了调查研究的问题。毛泽东本人十分喜爱这篇原题为“调查工作”的文章，他在1961年重新见到这篇文章时说：“这一篇我是喜欢的。”“过去到处找，找不到，像丢了小孩子一样。”这篇文章中写到：“马克思主义的‘本本’是要学习的，但是必须同我国的实际情况相结合。”在这里，马克思主义普遍真理同中国实际相结合的思想已经十分接近于后来作出的明确表述了。

The ideological principle of “integration” was formed and explicitly articulated during the Yan’an period in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1963, Mao Zedong said: “The slogan of integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of China was precisely put forward during the Yan’an Rectification Movement.” [3]3 This is a paraphrase of Marx’s famous statement in his letter to Joseph Weydemeyer (5 March 1852) and his “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The exact wording in the original Chinese text is a composite quotation. After the Red Army’s Long March reached northern Shaanxi, Mao Zedong, in works such as “Problems of Strategy in China’s Revolutionary War,” “On Practice,” and “On Contradiction,” profoundly summarized our Party’s experience in applying Marxism to guide China’s revolutionary practice. The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC, held in 1938, approved the political line of the Central Political Bureau represented by Mao Zedong, becoming a “key meeting” that “decided China’s destiny.” [4]4 “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship” (30 June 1949) was Mao’s essay commemorating the 28th anniversary of the CPC, outlining the theoretical basis for the new state power to be established after the victory of the Chinese Communist Revolution. It was at this meeting that Mao Zedong explicitly put forward the proposition that Marxism must be integrated with China’s specific characteristics and “sinicized.” He said: “Marxism must be integrated with the specific characteristics of our country and realized through certain national forms,” and “to sinicize Marxism, so that in every one of its manifestations it carries the necessary Chinese characteristics, that is, to apply it according to China’s characteristics—this has become a problem that the whole Party urgently needs to understand and solve.” After the Sixth Plenary Session, the Party began preparations for the Yan’an Rectification Movement. In his report “Reform Our Study” in May 1941, Mao Zedong pointed out: “The twenty years of the Communist Party of China are the twenty years of the increasingly close integration of the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.” “Reform Our Study” and his later reports “Rectify the Party’s Style of Work” and “Oppose Stereotyped Party Writing” became important documents of the Yan’an Rectification Movement. In these reports and other speeches, Mao Zedong deeply analyzed the erroneous attitude of subjectivism, especially dogmatism, toward Marxism, and expounded on the thought of integrating Marxism with China’s reality and the scientific attitude of “seeking truth from facts” and “shooting the arrow at the target.” Through the Yan’an Rectification Movement, the ideological principle of integrating the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete reality of China became the consensus of the whole Party and was formally established through Party resolutions.

“结合”的思想原则形成并作出明确的表述，是在20世纪三四十年代的延安时期。毛泽东在1963年说过：“马列主义普遍真理与中国具体实践相结合，这个口号就是在延安整风时提出的。”红军长征到达陕北后，毛泽东在《中国革命战争的战略问题》、《实践论》、《矛盾论》等著作中，对我们党运用马克思主义指导中国革命实践的经验作了深刻的总结。1938年召开的党的六届六中全会批准了以毛泽东为代表的中央政治局的政治路线，成为“决定中国之命运”的一个“重要关键的会议”，正是在这次会议上，毛泽东明确地提出了马克思主义同中国具体特点相结合、“在中国具体化”的主张，他说：“马克思主义必须和我国的具体特点相结合并通过一定的民族形式才能实现”，“使马克思主义在中国具体化，使之在其每一表现中带着必须有的中国的特性，即是说，按照中国的特点去应用它，成为全党亟待了解并亟待解决的问题”。六届六中全会后，党开始了延安整风的酝酿准备工作。毛泽东在1941年5月作的《改造我们的学习》的报告中指出：“中国共产党的二十年，就是马克思列宁主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践日益结合的二十年。”《改造我们的学习》和他后来作的《整顿党的作风》、《反对党八股》的报告，成为延安整风的重要文献。在这些报告及其他一些讲话中，毛泽东深入地分析了主观主义特别是教条主义对待马克思主义的错误态度，论述了把马克思主义同中国实际相结合的思想和“实事求是”、“有的放矢”的科学态度。经过延安整风，把马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合的思想原则成为全党的共识，并通过党的决议被正式确立起来。

The “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions” adopted by the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC on 20 April 1945 states at the outset: “Since its founding in 1921, the Communist Party of China has taken the integration of the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution as the guideline for all its work; Comrade Mao Zedong’s theory and practice concerning the Chinese revolution represent such integration.” [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC was held in Yan’an in April 1945, just before the Seventh National Congress. The “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions” was a key document that summarized the Party’s history and affirmed Mao Zedong’s leadership. In May 1945, in his report on the revision of the Party Constitution at the Seventh National Congress of the CPC, Liu Shaoqi pointed out that our Party “takes the thought that unifies Marxist-Leninist theory with the practice of the Chinese revolution—Mao Zedong Thought—as the guideline for all its work.” Mao Zedong “combined the theory of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of the Chinese revolution, thereby giving birth to Chinese communism—Mao Zedong Thought,” which is “a developing and perfecting Sinicized Marxism,” “entirely Marxist and yet entirely Chinese. This is the highest expression of the wisdom of the Chinese nation and the highest theoretical generalization.” [2]2 Liu Shaoqi (1898–1969) was a senior leader of the CPC and later Chairman of the People’s Republic of China (1959–1968). His report on revising the Party Constitution at the Seventh National Congress formally enshrined Mao Zedong Thought as the Party’s guiding ideology. From then on, Mao Zedong Thought was established as the guiding thought of our Party, and the integration of the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete reality of China became the ideological principle consistently followed by our Party. Since Mao Zedong Thought itself is the product of “integration,” establishing Mao Zedong Thought as the Party’s guiding thought and establishing “integration” as our Party’s ideological principle occurred simultaneously.

1945年4月20日党的六届七中全会通过的《关于若干历史向题的决议》一开头就指出：“中国共产党自1921年产生以来，就以马克思列宁主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践相结合为自己一切工作的指针，毛泽东同志关于中国革命的理论和实践便是此种结合的代表。”1945年5月，刘少奇在党的七大作的关于修改党章的报告中指出，我们党“以马克思列宁主义理论与中国革命实践之统一的思想—毛泽东思想作为自己一切工作的指针”。毛泽东“以马克思列宁主义的理论与中国革命的实践相结合，便产生了中国的共产主义—毛泽东思想”，这是“发展着与完善着的中国化的马克思主义”，“完全是马克思主义的，又完全是中国的。这是中国民族智慧的最高表现和理论上的最高概括”。从此，毛泽东思想被确立为我们党的指导思想，马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合成为我们党一贯遵循的思想原则。由于毛泽东思想本身就是“结合”的产物，因而确立毛泽东思想为党的指导思想和确立“结合”为我们党的思想原则，是同时发生的事情。

II. The Principle of “Integration” Is Blended into the Whole of Mao Zedong Thought

二、“结合”原则融汇在毛泽东思想的整体之中

The formation and development of Mao Zedong Thought, and the formation and development of Mao Zedong’s thought on the integration of Marxism with China’s reality, are the same process. This is also the process in which the Chinese Communists represented by Mao Zedong, in the practice of leading the Chinese revolution and construction, explored arduously, causing the Party itself to continuously mature and the Party’s cause to continuously develop. The ideological principle of “integration,” whether in terms of its process of formation or its connotation and spiritual essence, exists within the whole of Mao Zedong Thought and is blended together with this whole. Therefore, it must be understood and grasped in connection with the whole of Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong found Marxism in order to seek a path to save China, and he upheld and developed Marxism in order to solve various practical problems in the Chinese revolution and construction. Consequently, the major theoretical and practical achievements of the Chinese Communists represented by Mao Zedong in exploring and answering the questions of the Chinese revolution and construction are all profound embodiments of the ideological principle of integrating Marxism with the concrete reality of China.

毛泽东思想的形成和发展，毛泽东关于马克思主义同中国实际相结合的思想的形成和发展，是同一个过程，这同时也就是毛泽东为代表的中国共产党人，在领导中国革命和建设的实践中艰难探索，使党自身不断走向成熟、党的事业不断发展的过程。“结合”的思想原则，无论就其形成的过程或就其内涵和精神实质来说，都存在于毛泽东思想的整体之中，是同这个整体融汇在一起的，因而必须联系毛泽东思想的整体去理解和把握。毛泽东是为了寻找救中国的道路而找到马克思主义的，是为了解决中国革命和建设中的各种实际间题而坚持和发展马克思主义的，因此，毛泽东为代表的中国共产党人探索和回答中国革命和建设问题的重大理论成果和实践成果，都是马克思主义同中国具体实际相结合的思想原则的深刻体现。

First, the theory of China’s new-democratic revolution is the theory that the Party and Mao Zedong, by applying Marxism to China’s reality, established to guide the Chinese revolution to victory. Marxism reveals the universal laws of social development: feudal society replaces slave society, capitalism replaces feudalism, and socialism, after a long process of development, inevitably replaces capitalism. It elucidates the revolutionary path in which the proletariat organizes its own political party, smashes the old state machinery through proletarian revolution, and establishes the dictatorship of the proletariat. However, scientifically understanding the nature of Chinese society and finding a revolutionary path suited to China’s national conditions could only be achieved by proceeding from China’s reality, could only be accomplished by the Chinese Communists, and there were no ready-made answers in the works of the Marxist classics. Mao Zedong deeply analyzed China’s national conditions, revealed China’s semi-colonial and semi-feudal social nature, correctly answered a series of major questions such as the nature of the Chinese revolution, the targets of the Chinese revolution, the tasks of the Chinese revolution, the motive forces of the Chinese revolution, and the prospects of the Chinese revolution. He established the theory of the new-democratic revolution, formulated the general line and general policy of the new-democratic revolution, and led the Chinese people to take the socialist road in two steps, first by winning victory in the new-democratic revolution. Proceeding from China’s reality, the Party and Mao Zedong correctly resolved the question of the alliance between the Chinese proletariat and the peasants, the question of handling relations with the bourgeoisie, the question of how to build a proletarian revolutionary party in a country where peasants constituted the majority, and the question of how to wage armed struggle under conditions of extreme unevenness in China’s urban and rural political and economic development. They formed the three magic weapons of the united front, armed struggle, and Party building, and found the path of establishing rural revolutionary base areas, encircling the cities from the countryside, and seizing state power by armed force.

第一，中国新民主主义革命的理论，是党和毛泽东把马克思主义运用于中国实际创立的引导中国革命走向胜利的理论。马克思主义揭示了封建社会代替奴隶社会、资本主义代替封建主义、社会主义经过一个长过程发展后必然代替资本主义的社会发展普遍规律，阐明了无产阶级组织自己的政党，通过无产阶级革命打碎旧的国家机器、建立无产阶级专政的革命道路，但是，科学地认识中国社会的性质，找到一条适合中国国情的革命道路，只有从中国实际出发才能实现，只有中国共产党人才能完成，在马克思主义经典作家的著作中没有现成的答案。毛泽东深入分析中国国情，揭示了中国半殖民地半封建的社会性质，正确地回答了中国革命的性质、中国革命的对象、中国革命的任务、中国革命的动力、中国革命的前途等一系列重大问题，创立了新民主主义革命的理论，制定了新民主主义革命的总路线和总政策，领导中国人民分两步走，通过夺取新民主主义革命的胜利走上了社会主义道路。党和毛泽东从中国实际出发，正确地解决了中国无产阶级与农民的联盟的问题，处理与资产阶级关系的间题，在一个农民占多数的国家如何建设无产阶级革命政党的问题，在中国城乡政治经济发展极不平衡的条件下如何开展武装斗争的问题，形成了统一战线、武装斗争和党的建设三大法宝，找到了一条建立农村革命根据地，农村包围城市，武装夺取政权的道路。

Second, the theory of the people’s democratic dictatorship is the theory of state power construction that the Party and Mao Zedong established by integrating the Marxist theory of the state and the theory of the dictatorship of the proletariat with China’s reality. The theory of the dictatorship of the proletariat is a basic principle of Marxism. Marx revealed that “class struggle necessarily leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat” and that “this dictatorship itself constitutes no more than a transition to the abolition of all classes and to a classless society.” [3]3 This is a paraphrase of Marx’s famous statement in his letter to Joseph Weydemeyer (5 March 1852) and his “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The exact wording in the original Chinese text is a composite quotation. In the process of leading China’s new-democratic revolution, the Party and Mao Zedong continuously explored the question of what kind of state power to establish after the victory of the revolution, gradually forming the theory of the people’s democratic dictatorship. Mao Zedong’s article “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship,” published on 30 June 1949 to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the founding of the Party, is the representative work systematically expounding this theory. Mao Zedong discussed a series of major questions such as the essence and characteristics of the state, the relationship between democracy and dictatorship, and the leading class and class basis of the new state power, and made a high-level summary: “Summing up our experience, we have concentrated it into one point: the people’s democratic dictatorship led by the working class (through the Communist Party) and based on the worker-peasant alliance. This dictatorship must unite with the international revolutionary forces. This is our formula, this is our main experience, this is our main program.” [4]4 “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship” (30 June 1949) was Mao’s essay commemorating the 28th anniversary of the CPC, outlining the theoretical basis for the new state power to be established after the victory of the Chinese Communist Revolution. The founding of the People’s Republic of China turned the people’s democratic dictatorship from a scientific theory into a brilliant reality on Chinese soil. The people’s democratic dictatorship is in essence the dictatorship of the proletariat; it possesses the fundamental nature of the dictatorship of the proletariat, undertakes the historical mission of the dictatorship of the proletariat, embodies the basic principles of scientific socialism, and at the same time conforms to China’s national conditions, possessing distinct Chinese characteristics. The historical characteristics of the Chinese revolution and the basic national conditions such as the class structure of Chinese society determined that in our state power, the working class is the leading class, the people, including the peasants, the petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie, all enjoy extensive democracy, and dictatorship is exercised over a tiny handful of enemies. The concept of “people’s democratic dictatorship” directly and clearly expresses the two aspects of “democracy” and “dictatorship” and their interrelationship, making it easy for people to understand and accept. The history of the 60 years since the founding of New China has proven that the theory and practice of our people’s democratic dictatorship is a successful model of integrating the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete reality of China.

第二，人民民主专政的理论，是党和毛泽东把马克思主义的国家学说和无产阶级专政理论同中国实际相结合创立的国家政权建设理论。无产阶级专政理论是马克思主义的基本原理。马克思揭示了，“阶级斗争必然导致无产阶级专政”，“这个专政不过是达到消灭一切阶级和进入无阶级社会的过渡”。党和毛泽东在领导中国新民主主义革命的过程中，不断探索革命胜利后建立一个什么样的国家政权的问题，逐步形成了人民民主专政的理论。1949年6月30日毛泽东为纪念建党28周年发表的（论人民民主专政》一文，是系统论述这一理论的代表作。毛泽东论述了国家的本质、特征、民主与专政的关系、新的国家政权的领导阶级和阶级基础等一系列重大问题，并作出高度的概括：“总结我们的经验，集中到一点，就是工人阶级（经过共产党）领导的以工农联盟为基础的人民民主专政。这个专政必须和国际革命力量团结一致。这就是我们的公式，这就是我们的主要经验，这就是我们的主要纲领。”中华人民共和国的成立，使人民民主专政从科学理论变成了中国大地上辉煌的现实。人民民主专政实质上即无产阶级专政，它具有无产阶级专政的根本性质，承担着无产阶级专政的历史使命，体现了科学社会主义的基本原则，同时又符合中国的国情，具有鲜明的中国特色。中国革命的历史特点和中国社会的阶级结构等基本国情，决定了在我们的国家政权中，工人阶级是领导阶级，包括农民、小资产阶级和民族资产阶级在内的人民都享有广泛的民主，对极少数敌人实行专政。“人民民主专政”这个概念，把“民主”和“专政”这两个方面及其相互关联，都明确地直接地表达出来了，使人们容易理解和接受。新中国成立60年来的历史证明，我国人民民主专政的理论和实践是把马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合的一个成功典范。

Third, the path of China’s socialist transformation is the path that the Party and Mao Zedong creatively opened up by integrating Marxism with China’s reality, a path suited to China’s characteristics for establishing the basic socialist economic system.

第三，中国社会主义改造的道路，是党和毛泽东把马克思主义同中国实际相结合创造性地开辟的一条适合中国特点的建立社会主义基本经济制度的道路。

The basic economic system of socialism cannot emerge within the old society; it can only be established after the working class seizes state power and rises to become the ruling class, using the power of the new state. Carrying out the socialist transformation of the means of production and establishing the economic foundation of socialism must proceed from China’s actual conditions and blaze a path suited to China’s national conditions. The Party’s general line for the transition period [5]5 The general line for the transition period (过渡时期总路线) was formally proposed by the CPC in 1953, outlining the simultaneous pursuit of socialist industrialization and the socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts, and capitalist industry and commerce, intended to complete the transition to socialism by the late 1950s. was the concentrated expression of this path. Mao Zedong said: “The general line, in a nutshell, is: gradually realize the socialist industrialization of the country and the socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts, and capitalist industry and commerce.” [6]6 Mao Zedong, “Speech at the National Conference on Financial and Economic Work,” August 12, 1953. China’s socialist transformation, although it exhibited shortcomings and deviations such as excessive haste, overly crude work, overly rapid change, and overly simplistic forms, on the whole followed this general line of “one industrialization and three transformations.” [7]7 “One industrialization and three transformations” (一化三改) is a shorthand for the general line for the transition period: one industrialization (socialist industrialization) and three transformations (of agriculture, handicrafts, and capitalist industry and commerce). It not only achieved profound social change but also promoted the development of the national economy, attaining a great historic victory. In 1956, in a conversation with a delegation of international youth, Deng Xiaoping deeply expounded how China’s path of socialist transformation embodied the principle of integrating Marxism with China’s actual conditions. He said: “The universal truth is to eliminate capitalism, eliminate exploitation, and realize socialism. To depart from this universal truth is to talk about nothing regarding the socialist transformation of capitalist industry and commerce; that would be to take the capitalist road, not the socialist road. That is one aspect. On the other hand, the path we have taken today in transforming capitalist industry and commerce is one that Lenin thought of but was unable to realize. We have adopted a method of peaceful transformation for capitalist industry and commerce.” He stressed: “If the universal truth is not integrated with China’s actual conditions, or if the integration is poor, then great losses will result.”

社会主义的基本经济制度不能在旧社会内部产生，只能在工人阶级夺取国家政权、上升为统治阶级后，运用新的国家政权的力量才能建立起来。实行对生产资料所有制的社会主义改造，建立社会主义的经济基础，必须从中国的实际出发，走出一条适合中国国情的道路。党制定的过渡时期总路线，就是这条道路的集中概括。毛泽东说：“总路线，概括的一句话就是：逐步实现国家的社会主义工业化和对农业、手工业、资本主义工商业的社会主义改造。”我国的社会主义改造，虽然出现了要求过急、工作过粗、改变过快、形式过于简单划一等缺点和偏差，但整个说来，遵循着“一化三改”这条总路线，既实现了深刻的社会变革，又促进了国民经济的发展，取得了伟大的历史性胜利。1956年，邓小平在会见国际青年代表团的谈话中深入阐述了中国社会主义改造道路是如何体现马克思主义同中国实际相结合的原则的，他说：“普遍真理就是要消灭资本主义，消灭剥削，实现社会主义，离开了这条普遍真理就谈不上对资本主义工商业的社会主义改造，那就是走资本主义的道路而不是走社会主义的道路。这是一方面。另一方面，我们今天对资本主义工商业改造所走的道路，是列宁所想过的，但是列宁没有能实现。我们对资本主义工商业采用了和平改造的办法。”他强调说：“如果普遍真理不与中国的实际相结合，或者结合得不好，那末就会造成很大的损失。”

Fourth, Mao Zedong raised the task of realizing the “Second Integration” [8]8 The “Second Integration” (第二次结合) refers to Mao Zedong’s 1956 call to integrate Marxism-Leninism with China’s specific conditions in the period of socialist construction, following the earlier integration that produced Mao Zedong Thought during the revolutionary period. of Marxism with China’s actual conditions and initiated a preliminary exploration of a path of socialist construction suited to China’s national conditions. In 1956, in light of China’s practice and the lessons of the Soviet Union’s experience, Mao Zedong put forward the idea of the “Second Integration.” He said: Now is the period of socialist revolution and construction; we must carry out the Second Integration and find a path for how to build socialism in China. He stressed: The most important thing is to think independently and integrate the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete reality of China’s revolution and construction. In works such as *On the Ten Major Relationships* and *On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People*, Mao Zedong put forward the basic policy of “mobilizing all positive factors, both domestic and international, to serve the socialist cause,” the theory of the basic contradictions of socialist society, and the doctrine of correctly handling contradictions among the people. He explored a series of major relationships in China’s socialist construction, explored “the path of China’s industrialization,” and put forward a series of policies such as “overall consideration and appropriate arrangements,” “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend,” “long-term coexistence and mutual supervision,” and “relying mainly on one’s own efforts while seeking external assistance as a supplement.” During this period, the Party and Mao Zedong’s exploration of the path of China’s socialist construction achieved positive results and accumulated valuable experience, but also suffered serious errors and setbacks such as the “Great Leap Forward” [9]9 The “Great Leap Forward” (大跃进) was a nationwide economic campaign launched by the CPC from 1958 to 1962, aiming to rapidly industrialize and collectivize agriculture, which led to severe economic disruption and famine. and the “Cultural Revolution.” [10]10 The “Cultural Revolution” (文化大革命) was a sociopolitical movement initiated by Mao Zedong from 1966 The achievements we have made are all the result of adhering to the integration of Marxism with China’s actual conditions, while the errors that occurred, especially serious errors like the “Cultural Revolution,” were, as pointed out by the 1981 Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CPC, “clearly deviated from the orbit of Mao Zedong Thought, which is the integration of the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of China,” and “conformed neither to Marxism-Leninism nor to China’s actual conditions.” [11]11 Wang Ming (1904–1974) was a senior leader of the Chinese Communist Party in the 1930s whose “left” dogmatic line, based on a rigid application of Soviet and Comintern directives, caused severe losses to the Party and the revolutionary movement before being corrected at the Zunyi Conference in 1935.

第四，毛泽东提出了实现马克思主义同中国实际“第二次结合”的任务，并对适合中国国情的社会主义建设道路展开了初步探索。1956年，鉴于我国的实践和苏联的经验教训，毛泽东提出了“第二次结合”的思想，他说：现在是社会主义革命和建设时期，我们要进行第二次结合，找出在中国怎样建设社会主义的道路。他强调：最重要的是要独立思考，把马列主义的基本原理同中国革命和建设的具体实际相结合。在《论十大关系》、《关于正确处理人民内部矛盾的间题》等著作中，毛泽东提出了“把国内外一切积极因素调动起来，为社会主义事业服务”的基本方针，提出了社会主义社会基本矛盾的理论和正确处理人民内部矛盾的学说，探讨了中国社会主义建设中的一系列重大关系问题，探讨了“中国工业化的道路”，提出了“统筹兼顾、适当安排”，“百花齐放、百家争鸣”，“长期共存、互相监督”，“自力更生为主，争取外援为辅”等一系列方针。这一时期，党和毛泽东对中国社会主义建设道路的探索，取得了积极的成果，积累了宝贵的经验，也发生了“大跃进”、“文化大革命”等严重的错误和挫折。我们取得的成就，都是坚持马克思主义同中国实际相结合的结果，而发生的错误，尤其是像“文化大革命”这样的严重错误，则正如1981年党的十一届六中全会关于建国以来若干历史问题的决议所指出的，是“明显地脱离了作为马克思列宁主义普遍原理和中国具体实际相结合的毛泽东思想的轨道”，“既不符合马克思列宁主义，也不符合中国实际”。

Mao Zedong Thought is a scientific system with extremely rich content. In addition to the items mentioned above, Mao Zedong’s thought on the building of the revolutionary army and military strategy, his thought on policy and strategy, his thought on ideological and political work and cultural work, his thought on Party building, and the ideas of seeking truth from facts, the mass line, and independence and self-reliance that run through all these thoughts—all of these embody the principle of “integration” in every aspect. They not only shine with the truth of Marxism but also demonstrate a profound understanding and accurate grasp of China’s actual conditions.

毛泽东思想是内容极为丰富的科学体系，除上述各项外，毛泽东关于革命军队的建设和军事战略的思想、关于政策和策略的思想、关于思想政治工作和文化工作的思想、关于党的建设的思想，以及贯穿于所有这些思想之中的实事求是、群众路线、独立自主的思想，无不处处体现出“结合”的原则，既闪耀着马克思主义的真理光芒，又表现了对中国实际的深刻理解和准确把握。

In the new historical period of reform and opening up, our Party opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and founded the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. These are great achievements obtained by adhering to the integration of the universal truth of Marxism with China’s concrete reality. In 1982, when Deng Xiaoping first explicitly put forward the concept of “building socialism with Chinese characteristics” in his opening speech to the Twelfth National Congress of the CPC, he clearly linked it to the ideological principle of “integration.” He said: “Integrating the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete reality of our country, taking our own path, and building socialism with Chinese characteristics—this is the basic conclusion we have drawn from summing up our long historical experience.”

在改革开放的历史新时期，我们党开辟中国特色社会主义道路，创立中国特色社会主义理论体系，是坚持把马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合取得的伟大成果。1982年，当邓小平在党的十二大开幕词中第一次明确提出“建设有中国特色的社会主义”这一概念时，就明确地把它同“结合”的思想原则联系在一起，他说：“把马克思主义的普遍真理同我国的具体实际结合起来，走自己的道路，建设有中国特色的社会主义，这就是我们总结长期历史经验得出的基本结论。”

In summary, it can be seen that Mao Zedong’s thought of integrating the universal truth of Marxism with China’s concrete reality is fused into all his practical and theoretical activities, embodied in all his theoretical achievements and practical accomplishments, and exists within the entirety of Mao Zedong Thought. It is the basic ideological principle and methodological principle running through it. Therefore, it cannot be studied and understood in isolation. Only in conjunction with Mao Zedong’s magnificent practice and the entirety of Mao Zedong Thought can one truly grasp the rich connotation and spiritual essence of this ideological principle.

综上所述可以看到，毛泽东提出的把马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合的思想，融汇在他的全部实践活动和理论活动中，体现在他的全部理论成果和实践成就中，存在于毛泽东思想的整体之中，是贯穿在其中的基本的思想原则和方法论原则，因而不能孤立地去学习和理解，只有同毛泽东波斓壮阔的实践和毛泽东思想的整体结合在一起，才能真正理解和把握这一思想原则的丰富内涵和精神实质。

III. Taking the Principle of “Integration” as the Core to Deeply Study Mao Zedong’s View of Marxism

三、以“结合”原则为核心深入研究毛泽东的马克思主义观

Comrade Hu Jintao, in his speech at the Meeting Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CPC, [12]12 “Seeking truth from facts” (实事求是, *shi shi qiu shi*) is a classical Chinese phrase originally from the *Book of Han* (1st century CE), meaning to base one’s actions on actual facts. Mao Zedong repurposed it as a core principle of the Party’s ideological line, emphasizing the need to proceed from objective reality rather than abstract dogma. attributed all the theories and practices of our Party over the 30 years of reform and opening up to the exploration and answer to four major questions, including “what is Marxism and how to treat Marxism.” He then made an important judgment: “The historical experience of these 30 years boils down to one point: integrate the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality, take our own path, and build socialism with Chinese characteristics.” This shows that our Party’s answer to “what is Marxism and how to treat Marxism” boils down to one point: “integrate the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality.” The principle of “integration” is the concentrated expression of Mao Zedong’s view of Marxism and its core. What are the main or basic contents of Mao Zedong’s view of Marxism, which unfolds around this core? Here, I briefly offer a few observations.

胡锦涛同志《在纪念党的十一届三中全会召开30周年大会上的讲话》中，把改革开放30年来我们党的全部理论和实践归结为对“什么是马克思主义、怎样对待马克思主义”等四个重大问题的探索和回答，进而作出了一个重要论断："30年的历史经验归结到一点，就是把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，走自己的路，建设中国特色社会主义。”这表明，我们党对“什么是马克思主义、怎样对待马克思主义”的回答，归结到一点，就是“把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合”。“结合”原则是毛泽东的马克思主义观的集中表现，是它的核心。围绕着这一核心而展开的毛泽东的马克思主义观，包括哪些主要的或基本的内容呢？这里简略地谈几点看法。

First, the universal truth of Marxism must be upheld. Affirming the universal truth of Marxism is the prerequisite for adhering to the principle of “integration.” Ever since finding Marxism through arduous exploration, Mao Zedong always firmly believed in Marxism. He pointed out that Marxism-Leninism is a theory drawn from objective reality and proven in objective reality, a universal truth verified in practice, and “a theory that is universally applicable.” [13]13 The 1957 Moscow Declaration was a joint statement issued by the Communist and Workers’ Parties of socialist countries at a meeting in Moscow in November 1957, affirming the general line of the international communist movement and the principle of integrating Marxism-Leninism with national conditions. “We believe in Marxism-Leninism.” [14] Upholding the universal truth of Marxism requires distinguishing it from individual conclusions. Mao Zedong stressed: “The Chinese Party has always adhered to the principles of Marxism-Leninism because they are universal truths.” [15] At the same time, he pointed out: “If every sentence, including Marx’s words, had to be copied, that would be disastrous.” [16]

第一，必须坚持马克思主义的普遍真理。确认马克思主义的普遍真理性，是坚持“结合”原则的前提。自从经过艰难的探索找到了马克思主义，毛泽东始终坚定不移地信仰马克思主义。他指出，马克思列宁主义是从客观实际中抽出来又在客观实际中得到了证明的理论，是在实践中证实了的普遍真理，“是‘放之四海而皆准’的理论”。“我们信仰马列主义”。坚持马克思主义的普遍真理，要把它同个别性的结论区分开来。毛泽东强调：“中国的党一贯遵守马列主义的原则，因为它是普遍的真理。”同时他又指出：“如果每句话，包括马克思的话，都要照搬，那就不得了。”

Second, it is necessary to proceed from China’s actual conditions, conduct investigation and research, integrate theory with practice, and shoot the arrow at the target. In-depth investigation and research to understand China’s national conditions is the foundation for integrating Marxism with China’s actual conditions. Mao Zedong pointed out that the objective world of China, taken as a whole, was understood by the Chinese people, not by the comrades in the Communist International who were in charge of China’s affairs. Marx could not foresee and solve all the problems that would arise later; “China’s

第二，必须从中国实际出发，开展调查研究，理论联系实际，有的放矢。深入调查研究，认识中国国情，是把马克思主义同中国实际相结合的基础。毛泽东指出，中国这个客观世界，整个地说来，是由中国人认识的，不是在共产国际管中国问题的同志们认识的。马克思不能将后来出现的问题都看到、都解决，“中国的问题只能由中国人解决”。研究问题要从实际出发，从现象深入到本质，而不是从定义、概念出发。毛泽东强调，必须坚持理论和实践相结合，“有的放矢”。马克思列宁主义和中国革命的关系，就是箭和靶的关系。放箭要对准靶，“无的放矢”，就容易把革命弄坏。从实际出发，就必须系统地周密地开展调查研究，必须“确立以研究中国革命实际问题为中心，以马克思列宁主义基本原则为指导的方针”。毛泽东把学风问题看做“第一个重要的问题”，把“理论和实践相结合的作风”概括为我们党的三大作风之一。

Third, it is necessary to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context. Adhering to the ideological principle of “integration,” in terms of the requirements for theory itself, means that Marxism must be adapted to the Chinese context. Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context involves, on the one hand, making Marxism concrete in China, applying it in accordance with Chinese characteristics, endowing it with Chinese features, Chinese national forms, and a Chinese style and Chinese manner that the Chinese people find pleasing and accessible; on the other hand, it also requires “making the rich practice of the Chinese revolution Marxist,” that is, elevating China’s practical experience to the level of theory in order to enrich and develop Marxism. In response to the accusation that “there is no Marxism on the mountains,” Mao Zedong said: “Let us change that word ‘no’ and say there is Marxism on the mountains.” He also said: “It seems that Marxism has only one shop, with no branches. Can’t a branch shop also produce some Marxism?” Developing Marxism in China is based on China’s rich practice, is necessitated by the need to guide Chinese practice, and is made possible by that practice. Mao Zedong said: “The Communist Party of any country, the intellectual circles of any country, must create new theories, write new works, and produce their own theorists to serve the politics of the day; relying solely on the old masters will not do.” In China, “what we have done surpasses Marx,” “Marx did not carry out a revolution as great as China’s; our practice has surpassed Marx. Practice gives rise to principles,” and “we must produce our own theory.”

第三，必须实现马克思主义中国化。坚持“结合”的思想原则，从对理论本身的要求来说，就是必须实现马克思主义中国化。实现马克思主义中国化，一方面是要使马克思主义在中国具体化，按照中国的特点去应用它，使它带上中国的特性、中国的民族形式，具有中国老百姓所喜闻乐见的中国作风和中国气派；另一方面，还要“使中国革命丰富的实际马克思主义化”，也就是要把中国的实践经验上升到理论，来丰富和发展马克思主义。针对着“山上无马克思主义”的指责，毛泽东说：“我们把这个‘无’字改一下，叫做山上有马克思主义。”他又说：“似乎马克思主义只有一家，别无分店。是不是分店也可以搞一点马克思主义呢？”在中国发展马克思主义，是以中国丰富的实践为基础的，是指导中国实践的需要，也由实践提供了可能。毛泽东说：“任何国家的共产党，任何国家的思想界，都要创造新的理论，写出新的著作，产生自己的理论家，来为当前的政治服务，单靠老祖宗是不行的。”在中国，“我们做的超过了马克思”，“马克思没有做中国这样大的革命，我们的实践超过了马克思。实践当中是要出道理的”，“要产生自己的理论”。

Mao Zedong opposed equating Sinicized Marxism with Marxism-Leninism, instead regarding it as a “branch shop” of Marxism. He said: “It is better for us to be a branch shop of Marxism-Leninism.” We invite Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin not as guests of honor but as teachers; we are students. “Do not put Mao on a par with Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin.” Mao Zedong also explicitly instructed: “For all foreigners, do not demand that they acknowledge the thought of the Chinese people; only demand that they acknowledge the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism combined with the concrete practice of that country’s revolution. This is a fundamental principle.”

毛泽东反对把中国化的马克思主义与马克思列宁主义相提并论，而是把它看做马克思主义的“分店”，他说：“我们还是作为马克思列宁主义的分店好。”我们请马、恩、列、斯来，不是做陪客的，而是做先生的，我们做学生，“不要把毛与马、恩、列、斯并列起来”。毛泽东还明确批示：“对于一切外国人，不要求他们承认中国人的思想，只要求他们承认马列主义的普遍真理与该国革命的具体实践相结合。这是一个基本原则。”

The formation of Mao Zedong Thought and the establishment of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, along with the brilliant achievements they have guided in Chinese practice, have turned the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context into reality, and at the same time have proven that the idea of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is itself a scientific thought consistent with reality.

毛泽东思想的形成和中国特色社会主义理论体系的创立，以及它们指导中国实践取得的辉煌成就，使马克思主义中国化变成了现实，同时也就证明了把马克思主义中国化的思想本身是一种符合实际的科学思想。

Fourth, it is necessary to oppose dogmatism and empiricism. The integration of Marxism with China’s concrete reality is achieved in the struggle against various erroneous tendencies. Adhering to the principle of “integration” requires opposing subjectivism. Subjectivism manifests itself as dogmatism and empiricism. Dogmatism treats theory as abstract dogma that emerges out of thin air; empiricism belittles theory and mistakes partial experience for universal truth. Both separate the universal truth of Marxism from China’s concrete reality. Empiricists are unable to comprehend the whole of the objective process, lack clear guidelines, and have no far-reaching prospects. In view of the serious harm caused by Wang Ming’s [11]11 Wang Ming (1904–1974) was a senior leader of the Chinese Communist Party in the 1930s whose “left” dogmatic line, based on a rigid application of Soviet and Comintern directives, caused severe losses to the Party and the revolutionary movement before being corrected at the Zunyi Conference in 1935. “left” dogmatism, Mao Zedong focused on the issue of opposing dogmatism. In response to the dogmatists’ erroneous attitude toward and misinterpretation of Marxism, Mao Zedong explicitly raised the question of “what is called Marxism.” He pointed out that there have been many kinds of Marxism in our history: “What we want is fragrant Marxism, not stinking Marxism; it is living Marxism, not dead Marxism.” He also pointed out that “subjectivism is opposed to the Marxism of seeking truth from facts,” and that “we must distinguish between creative Marxism and dogmatic Marxism,” and “propagate creative Marxism.”

第四，必须反对教条主义和经验主义。马克思主义同中国具体实际相结合是在反对各种错误倾向的斗争中实现的。坚持“结合”的原则，必须反对主观主义。主观主义表现为教条主义和经验主义。教条主义把理论当做凭空出现的抽象的教条，经验主义轻视理论，把局部经验误认为普遍真理，两者都是把马克思主义的普遍真理和中国的具体实际分割开来。经验主义者不能通观客观过程的全体．缺乏明确的方针，没有远大的前途。鉴于王明“左”倾教条主义的严重危害，毛泽东着重论述了反对教条主义的问题。针对着教条主义对马克思主义的错误态度和错误解读，毛泽东明确地提出了“什么叫马克思主义”的问题，他指出，我们历史上的马克思主义有很多种，“我们所要的是香的马克思主义，不是臭的马克思主义；是活的马克思主义，不是死的马克思主义。”他还指出，“主观主义同实事求是的马克思主义是相对抗的”，“要分清创造性的马克思主义和教条式的马克思主义”，“宣传创造性的马克思主义”。

Fifth, Marxist theory must be integrated with the masses. The integration of Marxism with China’s concrete reality is also the integration with the Chinese masses. Mao Zedong believed that the source of strength is the masses. Correct ideas representing the advanced class, once grasped by the masses, become a material force for transforming society and the world. The reason Marxism-Leninism has had such a great effect since coming to China is that it has been grasped by the Chinese people. Any thought, “if not grasped by the masses, even if it is the best thing, even if it is Marxism-Leninism, will be ineffective.” To this end, Mao Zedong consistently advocated studying Marxism. He said: “Marxism-Leninism is a science that all revolutionaries should study.” He repeatedly issued reading lists, requiring Party cadres to study books seriously. Mao Zedong particularly emphasized promoting the study of Marxist philosophy among the masses. He stressed: “Dialectics should step out of the circle of philosophers and go among the broad masses of the people.” He vigorously advocated the study of Marxist epistemology, making it popularized and grasped by the broad ranks of cadres and the masses, “freeing philosophy from the classrooms and textbooks of philosophers and turning it into a sharp weapon in the hands of the masses.”

第五，马克思主义理论必须同群众相结合。马克思主义同中国具休实际相结合，也就是同中国人民群众相结合。毛泽东认为，力量的来源是人民群众。代表先进阶级的正确思想，一旦被群众掌握，就会变成改造社会、改造世界的物质力量。马克思列宁主义来到中国之所以发生这样大的作用，是因为被中国人民掌握了。任何思想，“如果不为人民群众所掌握．即使是最好的东西，即使是马克思列宁主义，也是不起作用的”。为此，毛泽东一贯倡导学习马克思主义，他说：“马克思列宁主义是一切革命者都应该学习的科学”。他多次开出书目，要求党的干部认真读书学习。毛泽东特别重视在广大群众中倡导学习马克思主义哲学，他强调：“辩证法应该从哲学家的圈子走到广大人民群众中间去。”他大力提倡学习马克思主义的认识论，使之群众化，为广大干部和人民群众所掌握，“让哲学从哲学家的课堂上和书本里解放出来，变为群众手里的尖锐武器。”

Sixth, adhere to seeking truth from facts. Mao Zedong used the four characters “seeking truth from facts” [12]12 “Seeking truth from facts” (实事求是, *shi shi qiu shi*) is a classical Chinese phrase originally from the *Book of Han* (1st century CE), meaning to base one’s actions on actual facts. Mao Zedong repurposed it as a core principle of the Party’s ideological line, emphasizing the need to proceed from objective reality rather than abstract dogma. to highly summarize our scientific attitude toward Marxist theory, China’s reality, and their interrelationship. Seeking truth from facts means, under the guidance of the general principles of Marxism, starting from objectively existing facts, discovering the inherent laws within them, and using them as the guide for our actions. Mao Zedong said: “Our Party has a tradition of seeking truth from facts, which is to combine the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with China’s reality.” This shows that, in Mao’s view, “seeking truth from facts” means combining the universal truth of Marxism with China’s reality, or, combining the universal truth of Marxism with China’s reality is “seeking truth from facts.” Deng Xiaoping also made a similar statement. He said: “The basic point of Mao Zedong Thought is seeking truth from facts, that is, combining the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.” Deng Xiaoping also said: “What is the ideological line? It is to uphold Marxism, to uphold the integration of Marxism with China’s reality, that is, to uphold what Comrade Mao Zedong called seeking truth from facts, to uphold Comrade Mao Zedong’s basic thought.” This shows that, in Deng’s view, the ideological principle of “integration,” “seeking truth from facts,” and the Party’s “ideological line” are different expressions of the “basic point of Mao Zedong Thought,” and their spiritual essence is the same. We should understand the importance of the ideological principle of combining the universal truth of Marxism with China’s concrete reality in the Party’s theory and practice from this height.

第六，坚持实事求是。毛泽东用“实事求是”四个大字高度概括了我们对待马克思主义理论、中国实际及其相互关系的科学态度。实事求是，就是在马克思主义一般原理的指导下，从客观存在着的事实出发，找出其中固有的规律，作为我们行动的向导。毛泽东说：“我们党是有实事求是传统的，就是把马列主义的普遍真理同中国的实际相结合。”这表明，在毛泽东看来，“实事求是”，就是把马克思主义普遍真理同中国实际相结合，或者说，把马克思主义普遍真理同中国实际相结合，就是“实事求是”。邓小平也有过类似的表述，他说：“毛泽东思想的基本点就是实事求是，就是把马列主义的普遍原理同中国革命的具体实践相结合。”邓小平还说过：“思想路线是什么？就是坚持马克思主义，坚持把马克思主义同中国实际相结合，也就是坚持毛泽东同志说的实事求是，坚持毛泽东同志的基本思想。”这说明，在邓小平看来，“结合”的思想原则，“实事求是”，党的“思想路线”，是“毛泽东思想的基本点”的不同的表达形式，它们的精神实质是一样的。我们应该从这样的高度来认识马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合的思想原则在党的理论和实践中的重要地位。

IV. The Principle of “Integration” Is a Universal Truth

四、“结合”原则是普遍真理

The ideological principle of integrating the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete realities of China possesses universal truth and universal value, and is applicable to different countries. Mao Zedong once said: “This slogan was written into the 1957 Moscow Declaration, which stated that the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism must be integrated with the concrete practice of each country.” Deng Xiaoping put it even more clearly: “The integration of the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete realities of one’s own country—this phrase itself is a universal truth. It contains two aspects: one is universal truth, and the other is integration with the concrete realities of the country.” The Chinese Communists, represented by Mao Zedong, through long-term practice and theoretical exploration, revealed and verified this universal truth in practice, establishing the ideological principle of “integration.” This is an important contribution to Marxism and to the world socialist movement. We should fully recognize the important status and precious value of this truth, deepen our understanding of “what Marxism is and how to treat Marxism” through the study of the principle of “integration,” and establish and uphold a correct view of Marxism.

把马克思主义普遍真理同中国具体实际相结合的思想原则具有普遍的真理性和普遍的价值，对于不同国家都是适用的。毛泽东说过：“这个口号写进了1957年的莫斯科宣言，那里面说马列主义普遍真理要与各国的具体实践相结合。”邓小平讲得更加明确：“马克思列宁主义的普遍真理与本国的实际相结合，这句话本身就是普遍真理。它包含两个方面，一方面叫普遍真理，另一方面叫结合本国实际。”以毛泽东为代表的中国共产党人经过长期的实践和理论探索，揭示出并在实践中验证了这条普遍真理，确立了“结合”的思想原则，这是对马克思主义的一个重要贡献，是对世界社会主义运动的一个重要贡献。我们应该充分认识这一真理的重要地位和宝贵价值，通过对“结合”原则的研究，深化对“什么是马克思主义、怎样对待马克思主义”的理解，树立和坚持正确的马克思主义观。

(Author: Former Director and Professor of the Social Science Research Center of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China)

（作者：教育部高等学校社会科学发展研究中心原主任，教授）

Online Editor: He Jun

网络编辑：何军