Maoism

Marxism–Leninism–Maoism

Poster depicting the foundational theorists of Maoism.
Class represented	Proletariat
Position	Revolutionary communist
Major figures	Abimael Guzmán
Related tendencies	Marxism–Leninism Mao Zedong Thought
Organizations	International Communist League Revolutionary Internationalist Movement

Not to be confused with Mao Zedong Thought

Maoism, known fully as Marxism–Leninism–Maoism, is a communist framework which upholds the theoretical developments of Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a new stage in Marxist thought. Maoism represents a significant theoretical and practical development within the broader communist movement, posited as the third and highest stage of revolutionary communism. This framework builds upon the foundational contributions of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and Mao Zedong, aiming to provide a universal guide for the global proletariat in achieving communism, particularly in the contemporary era of declining imperialism and the ascendance of socialist revolution.

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. This does not negate the leadership of the working class and its vanguard party; rather, it acknowledges the demographic and strategic realities of the Global South, where the peasantry often constitutes the vast majority of the population and suffers the most acute forms of exploitation. The proletariat, through its party, provides the ideological and political leadership, while the peasantry provides the numerical strength and the base for protracted armed struggle.

Maoism differs from Mao Zedong Thought in that its followers regard its theory as holding a universally-applicable (or near-universal) character as opposed to its progenitor, which was largely developed to account for the conditions of agrarian and semi-feudal countries as China was in the mid-20th century.

Maoism carries over the developments of Mao Zedong into its doctrine, which maintains his theories such as protracted people's war, New Democracy, etc. Maoism as a modern tendency was defined by Abimael Guzmán, leader of the Communist Party of Peru, whom many Maoists regard as being a foundational theorist of Marxism alongside Mao Zedong. Maoism is upheld by several major communist formations across the globe, including the Communist Party of the Philippines, Communist Party of India (Maoist), and Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist.

Development

Marxism–Leninism–Maoism originated at the time of the formation of the Communist Party of Peru and its people's war. During the people's war, increased ideological coordination among Maoist parties culminated in the founding of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement. Founding members of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement included the TKP/ML, Communist Party of the Philippines, Iranian Sarbedaran, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Indian Maoists, and the Revolutionary Communist Party (USA). All parties participating in the RIM adopted Marxism–Leninism–Maoism as put forth by the Communist Party of Peru's leadership.

Foundations of Maoism

Karl Marx and the foundations of scientific socialism

Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and Mao Zedong are the principal theorists of Marxism–Leninism–Maoism.

The theoretical bedrock of Marxism–Leninism–Maoism is laid by Karl Marx. Marx's contributions, primarily articulated in works such as Capital and The Communist Manifesto, established the principles of historical materialism, dialectical materialism, and the theory of class struggle. Historical materialism posits that the development of human society is driven by the material conditions of production, leading to successive modes of production and corresponding class antagonisms. Dialectical materialism, as a philosophical method, emphasizes the inherent contradictions within phenomena as the motor of change. Marx argued that capitalism, characterized by the exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie, would inevitably lead to its own demise through revolutionary struggle, culminating in a classless, communist society. The concept of the proletariat as the revolutionary class, destined to overthrow capitalism and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat, is central to Marx's vision and forms the initial basis for MLM's understanding of revolutionary agency.

Vladimir Lenin and the theory of imperialism and the vanguard party

Vladimir Lenin's contributions are crucial for understanding the transition from classical Marxism to Marxism–Leninism and subsequently to Marxism–Leninism–Maoism. Lenin adapted Marx's theories to the conditions of early 20th-century imperialism, arguing that capitalism had entered its highest and final stage, characterized by the dominance of monopolies, finance capital, and the division of the world among imperialist powers. This analysis, detailed in Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, provided a framework for understanding global inequalities and the potential for revolution in less developed countries, which Lenin termed the "weakest link" in the imperialist chain.

Lenin also developed the theory of the vanguard party, arguing that the proletariat, left to its own devices, could only achieve "trade union consciousness". A disciplined, centralized, and ideologically advanced vanguard party, composed of the most conscious elements of the working class, was necessary to lead the revolution, educate the masses, and establish the dictatorship of the proletariat. This concept of the vanguard party is a cornerstone of MLM, emphasizing the need for a strong, ideologically pure leadership to guide the revolutionary process. Furthermore, Lenin's theory of the state, as an instrument of class oppression, and his advocacy for its smashing and replacement by a new, proletarian state, are fundamental to MLM's revolutionary program.

Ideology

See also: Marxism–Leninism § Theory

Maoism as a qualitative development

The essential justification for Maoist theory lies in its role as a third and higher stage of Marxism; a creative development of it whose contributions are suitable to all the peoples of the world. Maoists posit that through the theoretical advancements of Mao Zedong to the three component parts of Marxism, Marxism underwent a qualitative leap, spawning a higher stage known as Marxism–Leninism–Maoism.

New Democracy

Main article: New Democracy

As with Mao Zedong Thought, Maoism upholds New Democracy as a transitional period prior to the implementation of the traditional dictatorship of the proletariat. It is understood by Maoists to be the rule and hegemony of the proletariat in alliance with the peasantry, petite-bourgeoisie, and national bourgeoisie.

Bureaucrat capitalism

Main article: Bureaucrat capitalism

Maoists expand the Marxist understanding of political economy with an analysis of the manifestation of capitalism which emerges in imperialized and dependent countries — bureaucrat capitalism. Bureaucrat capitalism creates dependency on foreign capital from imperialist states in countries which are semi-colonial or semi-feudal as opposed to developing capitalist relations domestically. Bureaucrat capitalism is also a form of state-monopoly capitalism under which there exists a class alliance of the comprador bourgeoisie, state capitalists, and decaying feudal landlords.

Cultural revolution

Main article: Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

Maoism holds that the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in China is universally applicable and must be practiced to maintain and strengthen the workers' state. Maoism believe that a socialist state must have multiple cultural revolutions during its existence to excise bourgeois elements from the party.

Protracted people's war

Main article: Protracted people's war

Maoists generally uphold protracted people’s war (to varying degrees of applicability). People's war was first developed as a military theory within the context of the Chinese revolution led by Mao Zedong of the Communist Party of China. With people's war, the revolutionary forces slowly develop from defensive guerilla actions to offensive actions and positional warfare against the bourgeois state. Maoists debate the extent to which people's war is applicable, many arguing it is universal while some holding that its scope is limited to agrarian countries.

Great leadership

Main article: Great leadership

Great leadership, also known by its Spanish name, Jefatura, holds that with each instance of revolutionary struggle, a smaller group of great leaders emerge from the most advanced elements of the proletariat who are able to apply Marxism to their country and spearhead the communist party.

Guiding thought

Main article: Guiding thought

Guiding thought holds that with every country, the great leadership of the communist party develops a unique "thought" which applies Maoism to the country's conditions. In the context of China, this was Mao Zedong Thought, and in Peru, Gonzalo Thought.

Mass line

Main article: Mass line

Maoism upholds the mass line as a method for interacting with, and meeting the needs of, the people. The mass line is premised on the party communicating with the masses, understanding their grievances and desires, and adjusting party practice accordingly. Mao summarized the mass line as being "from the masses, to the masses".

See also

• Mao Zedong Thought
• International Communist League (2022)
• Revolutionary Internationalist Movement