Concessions Made for the Sake of Establishing the Anti-Japanese National United Front

(1937)

Question: In order to achieve cooperation with the Kuomintang, the Communist Party has made quite a number of concessions in its political programme. Do these concessions have definite limits? And how will they affect the future policies of the Communist Party?

Answer by Mao Zedong: The concessions made by the Communist Party are for the purpose of cooperating with the Kuomintang so as to form a national united front. The validity of these concessions is contingent upon the Kuomintang implementing the following three major conditions: (1) waging the War of Resistance Against Japan for the liberation of the Chinese nation; (2) realizing a democratic republic; (3) improving the people’s livelihood. Under this understanding, the Communist Party has made certain concessions, such as changing the designation of the Red Army to the National Revolutionary Army and accepting the direction of the Nanjing Military Council; abolishing the name "Soviet Area" within the Republic of China and renaming it the "Special Region"; ceasing the policy of overthrowing the Kuomintang government; and stopping the policy of confiscating the land of the landlords. All these have been adopted to eliminate the hostile acts between the two major political parties in China. On the other hand, the Kuomintang has also recognized the legal status of the Chinese Communist Party, while within the Eighth Route Army and the Special Region the Communist Party has retained its own independent leading position. These concessions of ours indicate the limits to which we can go for the sake of the interests of the entire nation. There are some elements in the Kuomintang who wish to go beyond this scope and abolish the independent leading position of the Communist Party and the Special Region. However, if the Communist Party were to make such concessions, it would not be beneficial to the War of Resistance Against Japan. The Communist Party is now loyally cooperating for the establishment of the united front and is striving even harder for its expansion and strengthening. This attitude and policy represent genuine Marxism,

[1] This is part of Mao Zedong’s conversation with an American visitor.

because they represent the greatest interests of the Chinese workers and peasants and also the interests of the entire Chinese nation. The Communist Party firmly adheres to its policy and will certainly strive hard for its realization.

We believe that only in this way can we defeat Japanese imperialism. We firmly oppose any tendency toward compromise with Japan; capitulationist compromise hinders the success of the revolution. Communists should pay close attention, like critics, and oppose any compromise that endangers national independence, whether inside or outside the Party. Therefore, by adhering to our policy and continuing to work hard for it over a long period, we can accomplish the national liberation movement. The democratic republic proposed by the Communist Party cannot be achieved overnight; it will take two or three years, or even four or five years. It requires prolonged and unremitting efforts, and finally the Chinese nation will realize a political system that is free, democratic, and in which the people’s livelihood is improved. There is no doubt that such a state must be built on the complete cooperation of the entire nation; otherwise, such a great undertaking cannot be accomplished, for it is a relatively long historical process. In order to realize the democratic republic, the Communist Party will never alter its current policies; it will loyally support the national united front until the other political parties accept and implement the Three Principles of the People.

Question: What methods can be used to ensure that today’s national united front does not repeat the debacle of 1927?

Answer by Mao Zedong: There are four main factors for maintaining today’s national united front:

(1) The Chinese people have learned many lessons over the past decade. They remember that the many sufferings, sorrows, and economic hardships they endured were all due to the rupture of the National Revolutionary Front in 1927. They remember the nearly ten years of civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and the Chinese people do not wish for such things to happen again. They do not want the national united front to be destroyed by a small minority in society. If a few people attempt to undermine this united front, the great majority of the people will surely oppose them. The people will safeguard this united front because they know that only this united front can accomplish the mission of national independence.

(2) Those elements who destroyed the united front in 1927 have also learned many lessons. They know that destroying the united front inflicted tremendous harm on the people, and acts akin to collaborating with the enemy to sabotage the National Revolution cannot be allowed to happen again.

(3) The Communist Party has also gained much experience over the past many years. The Communist Party will certainly do its utmost to safeguard and strengthen the national united front. Without a common programme to mobilize the broad masses to participate, this united front cannot endure. If there is a common programme and it can be strengthened through the cooperation of the masses, then this united front can be maintained to the very end, until its objectives are fully realized. The Communist Party will surely work loyally toward this end.

(4) The present international situation is extremely favourable to the national united front; it is better than during the period of the Great Revolution and is less prone to further rifts. The international situation demands a relatively strong and broad united front, which is the world peace front, to counter the fascist front or the imperialist front. Only thus can the realization of national freedom and the Three Principles of the People be victoriously achieved.