Following Mao's steps for rejuvenation

Mao has made historic contributions to the victory of China's new democratic revolution, socialist revolution and socialist construction, as well as the realization of independence and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the liberation of the Chinese people and their happiness.

Mao's greatest contribution is leading our Party and people in finding the correct new democratic revolutionary path, eradicating imperialism and feudalism from the country, founding the People's Republic of China, making rudimentary achievements in the process of China's socialist construction, and offering valuable experiences for the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Party members, with Mao Zedong as the major representative, developed the scientific guidlines of Marxism-Leninism suited to China's conditions to make the revolution successful and the national construction solid. This is known as Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong Thought educated several generations of CPC leaders and members who played important roles in the new democratic revolution, socialist revolution and construction periods of China.

Deng Xiaoping said we must never discard the banner of Mao Zedong Thought or we deny the Party's history.

Mao belongs to the world as well as China. He not only won the love and admiration of Party members and the people in China, but also of all the progressive people across the world. His revolutionary practices and glorious achievements are engraved in China's history. His name and thought will motivate us to stride forward forever.

Even the great leader made mistakes in his late years

World history shows that all countries suffered setbacks in their quest for development. But difficulties and hardships help a nation to mature. Mao often said the future is bright but the road has twists and turns. This is the historical logic of all righteous causes. The greatness of our cause lies in the daunting difficulties we have and will overcome to achieve success.

It is undeniable, though, that Mao made errors in his exploration of socialist construction. He committed grave mistakes in his later life, especially during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). As for his merits and demerits, the historical document issued by the Sixth Plenum of the CPC's 11th Central Committee in 1981 gives a comprehensive evaluation.

Deng said Mao's achievements are primary, his errors secondary, and his errors were caused because he violated his own correctness and they are mistakes committed by a great revolutionary and Marxist.

There are no examples of how to build socialism in a country with social and historical conditions like China. It is like climbing a high mountain on which humans have not set foot before. We have no choice but to cut a path through brambles and thorns.

A comprehensive and dialectical evaluation

Mao's mistakes were caused by his misjudgment as well as by the then complex factors at home and abroad. Thus we must take a comprehensive, historical and dialectical view of his mistakes, analyze not only his own subjective elements and individual liability, but also see them in the context of the complicated social and historical situations prevailing at home and abroad at that time.

Revolutionary leaders are not gods, but human beings. We cannot worship them like gods or refuse to allow people to point out and correct their errors just because they are great; nor can we totally repudiate them and erase their historical feats just because they committed mistakes.

The past teaches people about the future. A Marxist party's attitude to its own mistakes is the most important and reliable measure of its commitment to fulfilling the responsibilities given to it by the people. Our Party has always adopted a solemn attitude toward the faults and mistakes committed by the Party and important leaders - that we should have the courage to admit the mistakes, correctly analyze the causes, correct the mistakes and turn them into valuable lessons.

The setbacks, hardships and difficulties the Chinese nation has faced in its 5,000-plus years of civilization, the past more than 170 years of struggle, the 90-plus years of the CPC's toil and efforts and the over 60 years of development history of the People's Republic of China, everything has been written by the people. We draw lessons from history to strive for a better future.

Under the leadership of Deng, our Party correctly evaluated Mao Zedong Thought's historical position and made the strategic decision 35 years ago to achieve socialist modernization in China, which are crucial inter-related issues. The Party launched the reform and opening-up and made socialist modernization with economic construction the focus of its attention and work.

The revolution, construction and reform of China led by our Party is a continuous historical process and an integrated cause to save, recover and prosper and ultimately rejuvenate the nation.

The path decides the fate. The Party and Chinese people had to pay all kinds of costs to find the right path of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

(China Daily 12/28/2013 page5)