Chapter 21 How do you view the “May Fourth Movement”?  1919

Journalist: “What were you doing during the May Fourth Movement?”

Mao: “When the May Fourth Movement happened, I was working as a teacher at a primary school in Changsha and engaging in social activities with the New Youth Study Society. The news of the May Fourth Movement was published in the Changsha newspaper on May 9th, and that’s when we became aware of it. In mid-May, Deng Zhongxia returned to Hunan from Beijing to introduce the student movement situation, and it was decided to establish a new student union, Peng Huang became the president. On June 3rd, the student union organized a strike in 20 schools in Changsha in response to the May Fourth Movement, demanding the government reject the Paris Peace Treaty and abolish unequal treaties.”

Journalist: “How did you perceive the October Revolution of the Russian Communist Party and the Communist Party at that time?”

Mao: “During my time working at Peking University Library, in November 1918, I listened to Li Dajian’s speech ‘The Victory of the Common People’ at Tiananmen Square, where he praised the Russian Communist Revolution. I also read his article “The Victory of the Bolsheviks” in New Youth magazine. It wasn’t until January 1920 that I first saw the ‘Communist Manifesto.’ Overall, at that time, I didn’t have much understanding of communist revolution, even though I was already 26 years old.”

Journalist: “However, in your later writings, you greatly emphasized the May Fourth Movement, mentioning that it prepared the ideology and organization for the establishment of the party.”

Mao: “Yes, that was something I emphasized later. I also mentioned that the October Revolution was a gunshot that brought Marxism to China and that China would henceforth follow the path of Russia, and so on.”

Journalist: “After your passing, you expressed remorse. How do you view the May Fourth Movement now?”

Mao: “I have repented and my perspective on the May Fourth Movement is completely different now. At that time, I elevated the May Fourth Movement to serve the Communist Party’s ideology. I praised the October Revolution as a gunshot that brought Marxism to China. But now, I condemn the Russian Communist Party for bringing violence and rebellion to China, stifling the democratic constitutionalism of the early Republican government under Duan Qirui. Duan Qirui was honest, politically enlightened, very liberal, and anyone could start a newspaper, form a party, hold processions, and gatherings without approval. The society was open, and the economy was thriving with a 13% annual industrial growth rate.

Hu Shih and Chen Duxiu advocated for democracy and science, learning from the West, which was good, but they didn’t address the core issue. Western civilization is rooted in the Christian civilization that believes in God, respects human rights, and practices parliamentary democracy with separation of powers. It’s not about individual liberation, anarchism, social Darwinism, or pragmatism, and certainly not about class struggle.

At that time, I blended the culture of conspiracy from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and the culture of violence from ‘Water Margin,’ the culture of hoodlums, with the rebellious theories of Marxism-Leninism, forming my own Maoist ideology. I deceived the Party and the people for decades, straying from the path of Duan Qirui and embarking on a wrong path. I took up arms as a bandit, engaged in robberies and armed separatism, using thuggish tactics. I became a complete gangster, a resounding success, and ascended the pedestal of power without restraint.”

Journalist: “The May Fourth Movement set fire to the Zhao’s Mansion. Isn’t that rebellion and violence? It completely disregarded the rule of law, didn’t it?”

Mao: “Yes, the patriotic students of the May Fourth Movement were right in their peaceful marches and protests. Unfortunately, the students went astray, possibly influenced by the successful violent seizure of power by the Russian Communist Party in 1917, and turned to acts of violence, destruction, and arson. They were not held accountable under the law, establishing a precedent of trampling on legal principles and justifying violence.”

Journalist: “Why didn’t the Duan Qirui government pursue legal action?”

Mao: “Indeed, Duan Qirui is commendable. Governments in various countries have always used violence to suppress mass demonstrations and protests, and none of them involved violence initiated by the masses. Governments have shown tolerance and handled the situations in a civilized manner without further investigation. At that time, Liang Shuming spoke reasonably, with a clear mind. He said that even if Cao and Zhang were guilty of serious crimes, they should not be violated until their guilt is established. Patriotism should not be a criminal act, and student incidents should be dealt with by the court. The students’ extreme behavior at that time was entirely influenced by the violent culture depicted in ‘Water Margin,’ the culture of brotherhood in Jianghu (Underworld), and the influence of the successful violent revolution brought by the Soviet Communist Party.”

Journalist: “Do you believe that the May Fourth Movement still has positive significance?”

Mao: “It only has positive significance for the Communist Party, as it paved the way for violent revolution. Indeed, it prepared the ideological and personnel groundwork for the Communist Party in 1920-1921. Notions of democracy and science were merely empty. The May Fourth Movement also shook the Beijing government. At that time, the most civilized President Xu Shichang offered his resignation. After the May Fourth Movement, the Beijing government became unstable, experiencing frequent leadership changes. Duan Qirui couldn’t hold his ground and eventually fell into the hands of Zhang Zuolin. Sun Yat-sen didn’t support him.

Sun has a strong desire for power, went to southern China to start his own fire, always wanting to launch a Northern Expedition to overthrow the Beijing government and take power himself. However, no one supported him. In the end, he received assistance from the Soviet Communist Party, which was like a fish in water for him. He established the Huangpu Military Academy, organized a party, and conducted the Northern Expedition. Eventually, in 1928, Chiang Kai-shek toppled the Beijing government, while Sun Yat-sen had already passed away.”