General Policy for the United Front
in Culture and Education1
Speech at the Conference on Culture and Education in the
Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region
(October 30, 1944)
In front of an audience of more than a thousand people at the Conference on
Culture and Education in the Border Region on October 10, Chairman Mao
announced a united front policy for the new democratic cultural movement in the
liberated areas. In the speech he addressed issues such as the importance of
cultural work, the social bases of China’s new democratic culture, the necessity of
a united front in the cultural field and for intellectuals and the worker and
peasant masses to combine with each other, and that the needs and free choice of
the masses must be the two basic principles in this work. Chairman Mao first
stated: The general goal of all our work is to overthrow Japanese imperialism.
Even though Japanese imperialism, like Hitler, is approaching its doom, it still
has strength. The Chinese people and especially the liberated areas of China must
continue their efforts. Only by doing so can we achieve the goal of finally
destroying the enemy. In our efforts, the war comes first, then production, then
cultural work. An army that does not engage in production is a starving army; an
army that does not have culture is a stupid army, and a stupid army cannot
defeat the Japanese aggressors,2 liberate the people, and build an industrialized
new China. Therefore, we must have culture. That some comrades have looked
down on cultural and educational work in the past is a mistake. After this
conference, we all should pay due attention to cultural and educational work.
Concerning the character of our culture, Chairman Mao pointed out: It should
be a new democratic culture, namely, the culture of the broad popular masses against Japan, against Chinese traitors, and against dark feudal traditions. The
political and economic bases of this type of culture are popularly elected
government, rent and interest reduction, and a private economy led by factories of
various scales and cooperatives in different forms. The new democratic culture
reflects these social forms as well as pushes them forward continuously.
Chairman Mao said: At present, Chinese industry is still weak and small and
the industry of the liberated areas is even more so, but they have an unlimited
future. China must use industry as the foundation in overcoming its
backwardness. The economy of the liberated areas has its progressive side and
backward side. The culture of the liberated areas also3 has its progressive side and
its backward side. Liberated areas have4 a new culture of the popular masses that
reveals the leading direction as well as5 the widespread backward feudal vestiges,
that is, there are6 more than a million illiterates and 2,000 practitioners of
witchcraft in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region7 alone. Feudal
superstitions and ideas are still influencing the masses8 of the border region in
various aspects of their cultural life. It is even more difficult to combat9 the
enemies inside the people’s minds than to fight Japanese imperialists. The task of
the Conference on Culture and Education in the Border Region,10 whether in
education, health, newspaper, or other work, all is to11 call on the 1.5 million
people12 of the border region to rise up themselves and struggle against their own
feudal, superstitious, illiterate, unhygienic, and other old habits. It is impossible
to wage this difficult struggle without a broad united front.13 For example, in our
education,14 we must not only have fairly concentrated, fairly regular, middle
and primary schools but also relatively irregular village schools, and newspaperreading groups and literacy classes that are widely available and dispersed. Not
only must we have schools teaching new materials and run by the local people,15
but we must also utilize and transform the old-style village schools. In the arts,16
we must have not only modern drama but also the Shaanxi opera and the yangge
dramas. Not only must we have new Shaanxi operas and new yangge dramas,
but we must also utilize and transform17 the old opera troupes and especially 90
percent of the old yangge.18 This approach is especially19 necessary in the field of
medicine. In the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region the infant mortality rate
is as high as 60 percent, the adult mortality rate is as high as thirty per thousand, and 7,800 oxen, 4,000 donkeys, 210,000 sheep, and 2,300 mules died last year.20 At
the same time, people generally believe21 in witchcraft. Under such
circumstances, it is impossible to rely solely on doctors of Western medicine22 in
a few government organs and army units, who have the important task of serving
those units. Of course, Western medicine23 is more scientific than24 Chinese
medicine. But if under these conditions, doctors of Western medicine are not
concerned about the people,25 do not train more doctors of Western medicine26
for the people of the border region, do not unite with, help and transform the
thousand doctors of Chinese medicine and the veterinarians of the old type27 in
the border region,28 then they will actually be helping the witch doctors and
assisting in the death of people and animals in the border region.29 So a united
front of the new and the old is absolutely necessary. The two principles for the
united front are both applicable here:30 The first is unification, and the second is
criticism, or education and reform. Capitulation to the old is wrong,31 and so are
excluding and disparaging them.32 Our task is to unite with all the old styles and
the people of the old type33 who can be useful, and to help, convert, and reform
them. In order to reform them, we must first unite with them. If we do it
properly, they will welcome our help and efforts to reform.
Our culture is a culture of the popular masses; thus, our cultural workers in all
areas must serve the popular masses with great enthusiasm and devotion. On this
point, Chairman Mao earnestly urges all intellectuals to completely rid
themselves of the bad habit of separating themselves from the masses,34 serve the
people with a spirit of complete dedication including their lives, and link
themselves closely with the workers, peasants, and soldiers.35 Cadres of worker
and peasant origin should also treasure and trust these revolutionary
intellectuals. Concluding his speech, Chairman Mao stressed two basic principles
of the work style of linking with the masses; namely, act in accordance with the
needs and free choice of the masses. We must36 proceed from the masses’
practical needs and not from the good intentions of any individual or from
historical dogma. Appropriate methods should be used in light of the particular
time periods and local conditions, For instance, even though the guiding principles
for both the border region and the liberated areas are the same, various specific
methods, appropriate for the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region but not for other liberated areas, which in a direct war environment or with a more dense
population and more advanced cultural levels, should not be arbitrarily copied
and other methods that are suitable to local conditions should be used. If37
objectively the masses have a certain need38 but subjectively they are not yet
conscious of this need,39 leaders and staff workers40 should wait patiently. No
change should be made until, through our work, the masses41 have become
conscious and thus willing42 to carry it out.43 They should in no way be forced
and ordered to carry it out.44 Unless they are conscious and willing, any kind of
work that requires their participation will turn out to be a mere formality and
will fail. The saying “Haste does not bring success” applies to all work,45
particularly the cultural and educational work of reforming the thinking of the
masses.46
Chairman Mao’s speech pointed out the proper solutions to several essential
questions in the cultural and educational work of the border region, namely, a
united front in cultural and educational work, the importance of cultural and
educational work, the link between intellectuals and the worker and peasant
masses, and the principles of need and free choice in this work. The speech drew
great attention from representatives, and especially cadres, attending the
conference. It will be followed by further development of the cultural united front
in the border region and cultivation of correct styles of work in cultural work.

---

Notes

Notes
Our source for this document is Mao Zedong ji, Vol. 9, pp. 133–37, where it is reproduced from the November
1, 1944, issue of Jiefang ribao. Text in italics, below, reflects the original text, which was removed in the
revised version published in Xuanji in the 1950s; for more details, see “Variants” in “Note on Sources and
Conventions,” above, pp. lxi–lxvi.
45. The saying “Haste does not bring success” applies to all work, → In all work “haste does not bring
success.” This does not mean we should not be efficient but that we should not be impetuous; impetuosity

leads only to failure,

--- Notes

1. General Policy for the United Front in Culture and Education → The United Front in Cultural Work

2. Japanese aggressors → The enemy

3. Also → Already

4. Have → Already have

5. As well as → And still

6. There are → There are still

7. In the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region → Among the 1.5 million people of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region

8. The masses → The broad masses

9. It is even more difficult to combat → These are enemies inside the minds of the people. It is often more
difficult for us to combat

10. The task of the Conference on Culture and Education in the Border Region → We

11. Is to → Must

12. The 1.5 million people → The masses

13. United front → United front. And this united front has to be particularly broad in a place like the
Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, which has a sparse population, poor communications, and a low
cultural base to start from and in addition is fighting a war.

14. For example, in our education → Hence, in our education

15. Schools teaching new materials and run by the local people → Schools of the modern type

16. In the arts → In the work on arts

17. Transform → Gradually transform

18. Especially 90 percent of the old yangge → The old yangge troupes, which comprise 90 percent of all
yangge troupes

19. Especially → Even more

20. In the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region the infant mortality rate is as high as 60 percent, the
adult mortality rate is as high as thirty per thousand, and 7,800 oxen, 4,000 donkeys, 210,000 sheep, and 2,300
mules died last year. → In the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region the human and animal mortality rates
are both very high.

21. People generally believe → Many people still believe

22. Doctors of Western medicine → Modern doctors

23. Western medicine → Modern medicine

24. More scientific than → Has advantages over

25. The people → The sufferings of the people

26. More doctors of Western medicine → Modern doctors

27. Doctors of Chinese medicine and veterinarians of the old type → Doctors and veterinarians of the old
type

28. The border region, → The border region and do not help them to make progress,

29. Assisting the death of people and animals in the border region → Showing indifference to the high
human and animal mortality rates

30. The two principles for the united front are both applicable here: → There are two principles for the
united front:

31. Capitulation to the old is wrong → In the united front, capitulationism is wrong

32. Excluding and disparaging them → Sectarianism with its exclusiveness and contempt for others

33. With all the old styles and the people of the old type → All intellectuals, artists, and doctors of the old
type

34. To completely rid themselves of the bad habit of separating themselves from the masses → [We] must
link ourselves with the masses, not divorce ourselves from the masses

35. Link themselves closely with the workers, peasants, and soldiers → Link ourselves with the masses

36. We must → All the work for the people should

37. If → Often

38. Have a certain need → Need certain reforms

39. This need → This need, and are not yet willing or determined to make the change

40. Leaders and staff workers → We

41. The masses → Most of the masses

42. Willing → Willing and determined

43. Carry it out → Carry out the reforms

44. They should in no way be forced and ordered to carry it out. → Otherwise, we shall isolate ourselves
from the masses.

46. Particularly the cultural and educational work of transforming the thinking of the masses. →
particularly the cultural and educational work of transforming the thinking of the masses. There are two
principles here: one is the actual needs of the masses rather than what we fancy they need, and the other is
the wishes of the masses, who must make up their own minds instead of our making up their minds for them.