In the past, China was a country under imperialist domination. Railway construction was largely financed by loans from imperialist powers, and each railway built with such loans served to advance those powers’ aggressive objectives.
Railways thus became instruments of imperialist oppression and exploitation against our people.
Naturally, it was impossible at that time to develop a sound railway network.
Today, however, we are no longer subject to imperialist rule. We have both the capacity and the responsibility to restore and further expand our railways.


During the reactionary Kuomintang regime, we never placed any trust in its ability to manage the railways effectively.
Plans to build the Chengdu–Chongqing Railway date back to before the Xinhai Revolution; a major road-protection movement erupted in the year of the revolution itself. Yet, thirty-eight years have passed since then, and the Kuomintang government has managed to lay only a very short section of track. This clearly demonstrates that relying on the Kuomintang to develop a robust railway system was utterly futile.


We stand in stark contrast. We can not only restore our railways but also build them to a high standard.
In the past, as members of the proletariat, we possessed no means of production whatsoever—how could we possibly have constructed railways? Today, while individuals may still lack property, we now have a state, a broad mass base, cadres, and engineers. By rallying the people, we harness immense strength and can indeed accomplish this task.


Comrades, as you well know, twenty-two years ago we had virtually nothing; twenty-eight years ago, there was not even a Communist Party. Why do we now possess what once was lacking? The answer lies in the needs of the people.
When I was a primary-school teacher, my sole means of livelihood was teaching. I never envisioned establishing a communist organization; it came into being only because the people demanded it. Twenty-two years ago, faced with Chiang Kai-shek’s repression, we retreated to the Jinggang Mountains and formed our own army—the Red Army. At that time, our forces were small, and we had few weapons. Many doubted our prospects. Both domestic and foreign adversaries branded us “bandits”—“bandit” being synonymous with “something that ought not to exist.” Yet today we command an army of four million soldiers. Are we capable? Absolutely.


Turning to the railways, let us compare our performance with that of the Kuomintang: Which side has done a better job—them or us? While a definitive judgment remains pending, I am confident that within about a year, particularly in Northeast China, our railway operations will be firmly on track. Over time, through gradual improvements and expansion, we will surely outperform the Kuomintang nationwide in developing a modern railway network.


For a nation of our size, the current total of just over 20,000 kilometers of railway is woefully inadequate. What we truly need are hundreds of thousands of kilometers of rail lines. To achieve this goal, our primary reliance must be on the masses: workers, engineers, and all other capable individuals. We must draw strength from the broadest layers of the population; this is fundamental. At the same time, we cannot dispense with leadership at all levels. Both are indispensable. We need to rely on both.


We are on the verge of forming a united government and instituting the People’s Democratic Dictatorship led by the working class. Admittedly, challenges lie ahead. However great these obstacles may be, so long as we remain steadfast in our commitment to mobilizing and uniting the broad masses—the working class, the peasantry, the petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie—regardless of whether they are party members or not, as long as they share a desire to see China prosper, we can surmount them. In this way, our national railway-building effort can grow steadily—from the existing 20,000-plus kilometers to much greater lengths—step by step.


Chiang Kai-shek commanded vast armies and heavy artillery, and his workforce far outnumbered ours, which was confined to remote mountain valleys. Yet today we have everything we lacked previously. Did we not attain all of this solely through the support of the people? Since last November, we have reversed the tide, shifting from a position of disadvantage to one of advantage. Wasn’t this transformation likewise made possible by the power of the masses? To lead effectively—to serve as a commander or a squad leader—one must have a following, and that following is none other than the people. Without a force behind you, how can you exercise command? My surname is Mao; I am but one individual. I cannot lead a squad, nor can I assume the role of commander. Therefore, we must depend on the people, on our cadres, and on skilled professionals such as engineers.


At this meeting, I urge both veteran and new cadres to fully embrace the principle of relying on and valuing the people. Only then can the railway trade unions you seek to organize function effectively.


Printed from the transcript of the speech preserved in the Central Archives.


Note 1: This is Mao Zedong’s address to all delegates of the National Provisional Conference of Railway Workers and the National Locomotive Operations Conference, as well as to selected staff members of the Ministry of Railways, the Railway Corps, and the Pingjin Railway Administration.


Note 2: The “liberal bourgeoisie” refers to the national bourgeoisie.