DeepSummary
Brett welcomes back Matthew Furlong to discuss Mao Zedong's essay "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People." They analyze how Mao's ideas on dialectical materialism and identifying contradictions, both antagonistic and non-antagonistic, are relevant for understanding politics and organizing today. Mao emphasizes that contradictions do not end after a revolution, but must be continually worked through.
Matthew and Brett discuss how the western left often fails to properly analyze contradictions, instead seeing them as purely antagonistic or desiring non-contradictory resolutions. They examine the importance of nuance, embracing vulnerability, and avoiding dogmatism. Matthews stresses the need to overcome tendencies of cynicism and individualism promoted by capitalist culture.
The episode explores how Mao's framework can be applied to international affairs like the Russia-Ukraine war and China's development of socialism. They emphasize avoiding one-sidedness and moral absolutism when analyzing complex situations with multiple contradictions at play. Overall, the episode argues for Mao's dialectical approach as vital for revolutionary theory and practice.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Mao Zedong's framework of dialectical and historical materialism provides crucial tools for revolutionaries to properly identify and navigate contradictions within society, groups, and individuals.
- The western left often fails to embrace contradictions, either seeing them simplistically as purely antagonistic or desiring non-contradictory resolutions that avoid conflict.
- Overcoming dogmatism, cynicism, pessimism and hyper-individualism promoted by capitalist culture is necessary to be able to analyze contradictions soberly and make progress.
- Differentiating antagonistic from non-antagonistic contradictions is vital, as non-antagonistic ones allow for resolving issues through criticism and struggle rather than hostility.
- A dialectical approach rejects one-sidedness and absolutist moral framing when analyzing nuanced situations like China's development or the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Post-revolutionary societies must continue embracing and working through contradictions as driving forces for progress and unity, rather than becoming paralyzed by them.
- Humility, vulnerability and commitment to criticism/self-criticism are required within organizations to properly put Mao's dialectical approach into practice.
- Mao's ability to convey complex dialectical concepts clearly and concretely makes his works vital for western revolutionaries to study.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Many dare not acknowledge openly that there still exists contradictions among the people, which are the very forces that move our society forward. Many people refuse to admit that contradictions still exist in socialist society, with the result that when confronted with social contradictions, they become timid and helpless.“ by Mao Zedong
- “For many people, however, acceptance of this law is one thing, and its application in examining and dealing with problems is quite another.“ by Mao Zedong
- “When confronted with social contradictions, they become timid and helpless. They do not understand that socialist society grows more united and consolidated precisely through the ceaseless process of correctly dealing with and resolving contradictions.“ by Mao Zedong
- “We need to explain things to our people and to our cadres in the first place to help them understand contradictions in a socialist society and to learn how to deal with such contradictions in a correct way.“ by Mao Zedong
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Episode Information
Revolutionary Left Radio
Revolutionary Left Radio
4/26/23
Matthew Furlong from our Dialectics Deep Dive series returns to the show to discuss Chairman Mao's text "On The Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People".
Further Resources:
Mao Zedong - Five Essays on Philosophy (1957): https://foreignlanguages.press/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/S15-Five-Essays-on-Philosophy-6th-Printing.pdf
Ai Siqi - "Antagonistic and Non-Antagonistic Contradictions" (1957): https://massline.org/Philosophy/Dialectics/Antagonism-AiSiqi-1957.pdf
Jones Manoel - "Western Marxism Loves Purity and Martyrdom, But Not Real Revolution" (2020): https://www.blackagendareport.com/western-marxism-loves-purity-and-martyrdom-not-real-revolution
Radhika Desai & Michael Hudson: Geopolitical Economy Hour (2023 -) - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDAi0NdlN8hMl9DkPLikDDGccibhYHnDP
World Association for Political Economy: https://wapeweb.org/
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Mi'kmaw learning resources for Atlantic Region dwellers
Atlantic First Nations Tech Services - Mi'kmaw Learning: https://www.afnts.ca/mikmaw/dashboard
Trudy Sable and Bernie Francis - The Language of this Land, Mi'kma'ki (2012): http://cbup.ca/books/sable-francis-language-mikmaki/
Pacifique Buisson - The Mi'kmaw Grammar of Father Pacifique, edited by Bernie Francis and John Hewson (1939/1990; 2016)
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Outro music: "Inner Conflict" by Pep Love
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