Chapter 12 Letter to Peng Dehuai[1]

(June 6, 1943) Comrade Dehuai: We feel inappropriate about the talk you made two months ago about democratic education.Here is my opinion: For example, the conversation started from the definition of democracy, freedom, equality, fraternity, etc., not from the political needs of the current anti-Japanese struggle.Another example is not emphasizing that democracy is for resisting Japan, but emphasizing for anti-feudalism.Another example is not to say that the freedom of speech and the press is to mobilize the people's anti-Japanese enthusiasm and to fight for and protect the people's political and economic rights, but to say that it starts from the principle of freedom of thought.Another example is not to say that the freedom of assembly and association is for the victory of the Anti-Japanese War and the political and economic rights of the people, but for the promotion of mutual assistance and solidarity of mankind and the development of culture and science.Another example is that it did not say that the traitors and those who destroy the anti-Japanese unity should be deprived of their residence, migration, communication, and any other political freedom, but only generally said that people's freedom should not be interfered with in any way.In fact, democracy and freedom in various base areas are too big, too many, and too unlimited for some people, rather than too small, too little, and too restrictive. Therefore, the central government issued an explanation on the leniency policy in November last year, emphasizing that The necessity of suppressing reactionaries, you did not adopt such a policy in your talk.Another example is to advocate the implementation of the right of referendum in the various base areas, which is not only disadvantageous, but also impossible.Another example is that there should never be unequal provisions in the law, nor does it distinguish between revolution and counter-revolution.Another example is that it is inappropriate to put forward the slogan "Do not do to others what you do not want done to you" in politics. The current task is to use war and other political means to defeat the enemy. The current social foundation is a commodity economy. The so-called do to others what you don't want.Only after the elimination of classes can the principle of doing unto others what you do not want to be done to yourself be realized, and war, political oppression and economic exploitation can be eliminated.At present there is mutual assistance among various classes in the country to defeat the common enemy, but not only has economic exploitation not been abolished, but political oppression (such as anti-communism, etc.) has not been abolished.We should put forward the requirement of limiting exploitation and oppression, and emphasize unity in the resistance against Japan, but we should not put forward the general and absolute slogan of class mutual assistance (do not do to others what you do not want to be done to others).Another example is that the democratic movement in Western Europe started with the reduction of working hours for workers, which is also untrue.The "Party Life" [2] you mentioned earlier has been received, and I will let you know if I have any comments after studying it.

Mao Zedong Published June 6 from manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Peng Dehuai, then acting secretary of the Northern Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army. [2] "Life in the Party" is an inner-party publication published by the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on November 15, 1939.