What steps must be taken to truly establish a workers’ organization?
(December 1920)

Workers must elevate their status and break free from employer domination. Beyond sheer perseverance, there is no other viable solution, for most employers lack any humanitarian concern for their employees. Take wages, for instance: just a few years ago, workers earned only two cents per day; today, even the highest wage barely reaches three cents, representing less than half of what is needed to sustain a decent standard of living. Employers refuse to implement a “rising tide lifts all boats” policy, choosing instead to keep wages stagnant, leaving workers to endure hunger and hardship without receiving even a shred of compassion. Consequently, workers have no choice but to fight tirelessly against their employers. Alas! Poor workers! You must resolve your own problems yourselves. Improving your lives depends solely on your own efforts! While we may hope for employers to show mercy and improve working conditions—a charitable gesture—we know full well that such hopes are futile. Frankly, I dare say that attempting to better one’s circumstances without confronting the root causes of exploitation is akin to “putting lipstick on a pig.” Workers can only effect real change by “digging in and fighting to the bitter end,” taking matters into their own hands. However, before embarking on such a struggle, workers must first form a strong, united organization; otherwise, their efforts are bound to fail. Time and again, labor strikes across China have ended in defeat precisely because of the absence of robust workers’ unions. Therefore, the most pressing task facing China’s labor movement today is to promptly establish a solid workers’ organization. But how, exactly, can we accomplish this?

The answer is complex, yet succinctly stated: every worker must attain a thorough awakening of consciousness. What, then, is the current level of workers’ awareness in China? Unfortunately, the situation appears quite bleak and discouraging. Most workers are recruited from rural areas and have received little to no formal education, leaving them virtually devoid of knowledge. Their minds are instead filled with base and misguided notions. When speakers passionately proclaim “workers’ liberation,” many workers remain oblivious to what this actually entails or even whether they qualify as workers at all. Some even fear that those advocating for workers’ liberation might be extremists, and they worry about being influenced by such rhetoric. If we heed their concerns, we risk perpetuating a cycle of misinformation and misunderstanding. These observations are not my own conjecture; they are borne out by careful examination of workers’ psychological states. Given the simplicity of their thinking and the paucity of their knowledge, expecting them to achieve full consciousness borders on chasing a mirage. If workers lack genuine awareness, isn’t our aspiration to establish a robust workers’ organization nothing more than a pipe dream?

Nevertheless, despite their current lack of full consciousness, we must continue striving to help them attain it one day. We cannot afford to ignore the issue of labor simply because workers are not yet fully awakened. After all, workers are the backbone of society; how can our society find stability without addressing their concerns? So, how, then, can we foster such awareness among workers? The solution lies in tackling the problem of worker education, for it is precisely the lack of education and knowledge that prevents them from achieving full consciousness. If we can provide them with access to education and enrich their understanding, attaining a higher level of awareness will become far more attainable. Today, compulsory worker schools have been established in many regions, and I have personally visited several of them. Some genuinely fulfill their purpose, effectively enhancing workers’ knowledge, meeting their needs, and contributing to improvements in their livelihoods—though admittedly, there are also instances where such schools exist merely in name, serving only to garner praise without providing any tangible benefits to workers. I urge those passionate about worker education to collaborate with like-minded individuals and establish compulsory worker schools in areas where none currently exist, attracting workers to enroll and study, especially in places where there are already workers.