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

THE ROLE OF THE MERCHANTS IN
THE NATIONAL REVOLUTION*
July !!, !(@#
FROM MARX
TO MAO
The present coup d’etat has roused the merchants, who have per-
sistently ignored politics, and has led them suddenly to look up and
⋆
pay attention to politics. This is most welcome news! . . . The
Shanghai Chamber of Commerce . . . has published a declaration to
the whole nation. The declaration says: “We venture to proclaim
with sincerity to the Chinese and the foreigners that from the fourteenth
day of this month our people do not recognize any action of
Tsao Kun and Kao Ling-wei, following their usurpation of political
power . . . as qualified to represent the country. . . .”
At the same time the Chamber of Commerce resolved not to recognize
the national assembly, which “cannot represent the people’s
will”, and resolved, moreover, NOT to organize FORa
democratic committee
as the organ for dealing positively with the affairs of the nation.
This action . . . may be regarded as the first gesture of the merchants
to intervene COMMERCIAL
in politics and as a manifestation of the fact that
the merchants, who remained silent for three years, now speak in
awesome tones.
The present DISTRIBUTION
political problem in China is none other than the
problem of the national revolution [kuomin ko-ming]. To use the
strength of the people to overthrow the militarists and foreign imperialism,
with which the former are in collusion to accomplish their
treasonable acts, is the historic mission of the Chinese people. This
revolution is the task of the people as a whole. The merchants, workers,
peasants, students, and teachers should all come forward to take
on the responsibility for a portion of the revolutionary work; but
because of historical necessity and current tendencies, the work for
* Extracted from the article “The Peking coup d’etat and the Merchants”, published
in Hsiang-tao, Nos. 31-2, July 11, 1923.
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