On Contradiction (Mao Zedong)
Encyclopedia
Mao Zedong
's On Contradiction is considered his most important philosophical essay. Along with On Practice it forms the philosophical underpinnings of the political ideology that would later become Maoism
. It was written in August 1937 while Mao was at his guerrilla base in Yenan. Mao suggests that all movement and life is a result of contradiction
. Mao insists that there is a difference between antagonism and contradiction. For example he writes in 1911 both the bourgeois and proletariat were allies against the monarchy despite their contradictions because it was non antagonistic. Mao also suggests that there may be contradictions between workers and peasants that are antagonistic under capitalism but will become peaceful under Communism
. Mao accepts that contradictions will always exist even in a socialist nation but that those contradictions can be made harmless. Mao furthers the theme laid out in his essay On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People.
In dialectical materialism
, contradiction, as derived by Karl Marx
from Hegelianism
, usually refers to an opposition of social forces. Most prominently (according to Marx), capitalism
entails a social system that has contradictions because the social class
es have conflicting collective goals. These contradictions stem from the social structure of society and inherently lead to class conflict
, economic crisis, and eventually revolution
, the existing order’s overthrow and the formerly oppressed classes’ ascension to political power.
Antagonistic contradiction (Chinese language
: 矛盾; Pinyin
: máodùn) is the impossibility of compromise between different social class
es. The term is most often applied in Maoist theory, which holds that differences between the two primary classes, the working class
/proletariat
and the bourgeoisie
are so great that there is no way to bring about a reconciliation of their views. Because the groups involved have diametrically opposed concerns, their objectives are so dissimilar and contradictory that no mutually acceptable resolution can be found. Non antagonistic contradictions may be resolved through mere debate, but antagonistic contradictions can only be resolved through struggle.
The term is usually attributed to Vladimir Lenin
, although he may never have actually used the term in any of his written works.
In Maoism
, the antagonistic contradiction was usually that between the peasantry
and the landowning class. Mao Zedong
expressed his views on the policy in his famous February 1957 speech "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People."
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
's On Contradiction is considered his most important philosophical essay. Along with On Practice it forms the philosophical underpinnings of the political ideology that would later become Maoism
Maoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
. It was written in August 1937 while Mao was at his guerrilla base in Yenan. Mao suggests that all movement and life is a result of contradiction
Contradiction
In classical logic, a contradiction consists of a logical incompatibility between two or more propositions. It occurs when the propositions, taken together, yield two conclusions which form the logical, usually opposite inversions of each other...
. Mao insists that there is a difference between antagonism and contradiction. For example he writes in 1911 both the bourgeois and proletariat were allies against the monarchy despite their contradictions because it was non antagonistic. Mao also suggests that there may be contradictions between workers and peasants that are antagonistic under capitalism but will become peaceful under Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. Mao accepts that contradictions will always exist even in a socialist nation but that those contradictions can be made harmless. Mao furthers the theme laid out in his essay On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People.
"We may now say a few words to sum up. The law of contradiction in things, that is, the law of the unity of opposites, is the fundamental law of nature and of society and therefore also the fundamental law of thought. It stands opposed to the metaphysical world outlook. It represents a great revolution in the history of human knowledge. According to dialectical materialism, contradiction is present in all processes of objectively existing things and of subjective thought and permeates all these processes from beginning to end; this is the universality and absoluteness of contradiction. Each contradiction and each of its aspects have their respective characteristics; this is the particularity and relativity of contradiction. In given conditions, opposites possess identity, and consequently can coexist in a single entity and can transform themselves into each other; this again is the particularity and relativity of contradiction. But the struggle of opposites is ceaseless, it goes on both when the opposites are coexisting and when they are transforming themselves into each other, and becomes especially conspicuous when they are transforming themselves into one another; this again is the universality and absoluteness of contradiction. In studying the particularity and relativity of contradiction, we must give attention to the distinction between the principal contradiction and the non-principal contradictions and to the distinction between the principal aspect and the non-principal aspect of a contradiction; in studying the universality of contradiction and the struggle of opposites in contradiction, we must give attention to the distinction between the different forms of struggle. Otherwise we shall make mistakes. If, through study, we achieve a real understanding of the essentials explained above, we shall be able to demolish dogmatist ideas which are contrary to the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism and detrimental to our revolutionary cause, and our comrades with practical experience will be able to organize their experience into principles and avoid repeating empiricist errors. These are a few simple conclusions from our study of the law of contradiction."
In dialectical materialism
Dialectical materialism
Dialectical materialism is a strand of Marxism synthesizing Hegel's dialectics. The idea was originally invented by Moses Hess and it was later developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
, contradiction, as derived by Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
from Hegelianism
Hegelianism
Hegelianism is a collective term for schools of thought following or referring to G. W. F. Hegel's philosophy which can be summed up by the dictum that "the rational alone is real", which means that all reality is capable of being expressed in rational categories...
, usually refers to an opposition of social forces. Most prominently (according to Marx), capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
entails a social system that has contradictions because the social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
es have conflicting collective goals. These contradictions stem from the social structure of society and inherently lead to class conflict
Class conflict
Class conflict is the tension or antagonism which exists in society due to competing socioeconomic interests between people of different classes....
, economic crisis, and eventually revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
, the existing order’s overthrow and the formerly oppressed classes’ ascension to political power.
Antagonistic contradiction (Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 矛盾; Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: máodùn) is the impossibility of compromise between different social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
es. The term is most often applied in Maoist theory, which holds that differences between the two primary classes, the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
/proletariat
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
and the bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
are so great that there is no way to bring about a reconciliation of their views. Because the groups involved have diametrically opposed concerns, their objectives are so dissimilar and contradictory that no mutually acceptable resolution can be found. Non antagonistic contradictions may be resolved through mere debate, but antagonistic contradictions can only be resolved through struggle.
The term is usually attributed to Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
, although he may never have actually used the term in any of his written works.
In Maoism
Maoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
, the antagonistic contradiction was usually that between the peasantry
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
and the landowning class. Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
expressed his views on the policy in his famous February 1957 speech "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People."
External links
- http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/classics/mao/index.html
- https://irtr.org/forums/vtopic1768.html
- http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-1/mswv1_17.htm
- http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/wim/oncontradict.html - not working
- http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/wim/onhandling.html - not working
- http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-5/mswv5_58.htm