The core function of the mass line is to the masses, from the masses, back to the masses.
The party take the people’s ideas, try to turn those ideas into policies, and present these policies to the people. The people voice their opinions on the policies, and these new ideas are taken and systematised into new policies. On an on, with the ideas becoming more correct with time.
The revolutionary approach is more likely because it is more democratic (it is literally from the people) and precisely because it is a more fundamental change to the system. It is the system that is the problem, and it was designed to oppress the working class.
It doesn’t matter who you put in charge of a system designed to oppress. Unless that person then goes on to invite a popular revolt to overthrow the state in the people’s own interests, the system will not allow itself to be fundamentally challenged. And how likely will it be for a leader to incite a revolt against themselves? Not very. But the Mass Line indeed allows that, and in facy invited it. Withon the Mass Line there is possibility for the people to “bombard the headquarters of the Communist Party”, in Mao’s own words, of the party ever loses touch with its people.
I’ve read the basics on how the mass line is supposed to work, but how does it actually work? What does it mean “take the people’s ideas”, through which means does that happen? Because Xi Jingpin is also applying the mass line according to him, but the people are clearly not happy with it.
What does it mean “take the people’s ideas”, through which means does that happen?
Just speaking to them. Ask thrm what their concerns are and how they feel they should be addressed. Then try to draw up plans to address them, present these plans, and repeat the process.
Here’s a research paper that explores its evolution from Mao to today:
Just speaking to them. Ask thrm what their concerns are and how they feel they should be addressed. Then try to draw up plans to address them, present these plans, and repeat the process.
That doesn’t really answer my questions. First, Mao definitely didn’t do that by himself, so he must’ve had an array of people to do that. Are these not the cadres I was talking about earlier?
And then, what do you mean “speaking to them”? Did those people go door-to-door and ask for every single citizen’s opinion? Did they have organized meetings? It’s not really clear in anything I’ve read.
Here’s a research paper that explores its evolution from Mao to today:
That doesn’t really paint it in a good light. Just the fact that a party is “authoritarian” means there’s authorities that enforce strict rules from above, that are not to be challenged by the people. It’s after Mao’s death, but it says Deng also employed “mass movements”, and then when talking about Tiananmen Square protests it says “Deng and other party members viewed compromise with protestors as
untenable, as it could lead to the weakening of the nation’s foundational principles, and more
importantly to the CCP’s loss of complete control over the nation”. That does NOT sound like a government that listens to the will of its people.
The core function of the mass line is to the masses, from the masses, back to the masses.
The party take the people’s ideas, try to turn those ideas into policies, and present these policies to the people. The people voice their opinions on the policies, and these new ideas are taken and systematised into new policies. On an on, with the ideas becoming more correct with time.
The revolutionary approach is more likely because it is more democratic (it is literally from the people) and precisely because it is a more fundamental change to the system. It is the system that is the problem, and it was designed to oppress the working class.
It doesn’t matter who you put in charge of a system designed to oppress. Unless that person then goes on to invite a popular revolt to overthrow the state in the people’s own interests, the system will not allow itself to be fundamentally challenged. And how likely will it be for a leader to incite a revolt against themselves? Not very. But the Mass Line indeed allows that, and in facy invited it. Withon the Mass Line there is possibility for the people to “bombard the headquarters of the Communist Party”, in Mao’s own words, of the party ever loses touch with its people.
I’ve read the basics on how the mass line is supposed to work, but how does it actually work? What does it mean “take the people’s ideas”, through which means does that happen? Because Xi Jingpin is also applying the mass line according to him, but the people are clearly not happy with it.
Just speaking to them. Ask thrm what their concerns are and how they feel they should be addressed. Then try to draw up plans to address them, present these plans, and repeat the process.
Here’s a research paper that explores its evolution from Mao to today:
Patriotism and the Mass Line: CCP Ideology from Mao to Xi https://research.library.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1118&context=international_senior
That doesn’t really answer my questions. First, Mao definitely didn’t do that by himself, so he must’ve had an array of people to do that. Are these not the cadres I was talking about earlier?
And then, what do you mean “speaking to them”? Did those people go door-to-door and ask for every single citizen’s opinion? Did they have organized meetings? It’s not really clear in anything I’ve read.
That doesn’t really paint it in a good light. Just the fact that a party is “authoritarian” means there’s authorities that enforce strict rules from above, that are not to be challenged by the people. It’s after Mao’s death, but it says Deng also employed “mass movements”, and then when talking about Tiananmen Square protests it says “Deng and other party members viewed compromise with protestors as untenable, as it could lead to the weakening of the nation’s foundational principles, and more importantly to the CCP’s loss of complete control over the nation”. That does NOT sound like a government that listens to the will of its people.