K. This is the 1st working draft of vol. VI. It still ... - From Marx to Mao

238 MAO TSE-TUNG
late one from the other.
It is to be hoped that the world is in the last era of strife. The
vast majority of human beings have already prepared or are preparing
to fight a war that will bring justice to the oppressed peopled of
the world. No matter how long this war may last, there is no doubt
that it will be followed by an unprecedented epoch of peace. The
war that we are fighting today for the freedom of all human beings,
and the independent, happy, and liberal China that we are fighting
to establish, will be a part of that new world order. A conception
like this is difficult for the simple-minded militarist to grasp and it
must therefore be carefully explained to him.
There are three additional matters that must be considered under
FROM MARX
TO MAO
the broad question of political activities. These are political activi-
⋆
ties, first, as applied to the troops; second, as applied to the people;
and, third, as applied to the enemy. The fundamental problems are:
first, spiritual unification of officers and men within the army; second,
the spiritual unification of the army and the people; and, last,
the destruction of the unity of the enemy. The concrete methods for
achieving these unities are discussed in detail in pamphlet Number
4 of this series, entitled Political Activities in Anti-Japanese Guerrilla
Warfare.
A revolutionary army must have discipline that is established on
a limited democratic basis. NOT In all armies, FORobedience
of the subordinates
to their superiors must be exacted. This is true in the case of
guerrilla discipline, but the basis for guerrilla discipline must be
the individual conscience. COMMERCIAL
With guerrillas, a discipline of compulsion
is ineffective. In any revolutionary army, there is unity of purpose
as far as both officers and men are concerned, and, therefore,
within such an army, discipline is self-imposed. Although discipline
in guerrilla DISTRIBUTION
ranks is not as severe as in the ranks of conventional
forces, the necessity for discipline exists. This must be selfimposed,
because only when it is, is the soldier able to understand
completely, why he fights and why he must obey. This type of discipline
becomes a tower of strength within the army, and it is the
only type that can truly harmonize the relationship that exists between
officers and soldiers.
In any system where discipline is externally imposed, the relationship
that exists between officer and man is characterized by indifference
of the one to the other. The idea that officers can physically
beat or severely tongue-lash their men is a feudal one and is