In May 1930, in order to oppose the dogmatic ideas that existed in the Red Army at that time, Mao Zedong wrote a special article entitled "Against Originalism", putting forward the famous thesis that "there is no investigation, no right to speak".
The article "Against Originalism" was included in the "Selected Readings of Mao Zedong's Works" published by the People's Publishing House in 1964. In 1991, it was included in the first volume of the second edition of the Selected Works of Mao Zedong. In 2011, it was included in the seventh volume of "Selected Important Literature Since the Founding of the Party" published by the Central Literature Publishing House. The "Against Originalism" consists of seven parts, the full text of which is as follows:
First, without investigation, there is no right to speak
If you don't investigate an issue, you stop having a say in an issue.
Since you have not investigated the reality and historical situation of that question, and you do not know the bottom line, your statement on that question must be a fool's errand.
Many comrades have been talking there with their eyes closed all day long, saying that this is the shame of a Communist, and how can any Communist Party member speak blindly with his eyes closed?
No! No! Focus on investigation! Against bullshit!
Second, investigation is to solve the problem
All conclusions arise at the end of the investigation, not from its foreword. Only a stupid person is him alone, or he invites a bunch of people, not to investigate, but just to "think of a way" and "make an idea". You must know that you must not come up with any good methods or come up with any good ideas. In other words, he must produce the wrong way and the wrong attention.
Many people who do leadership work encounter difficult problems, just sigh, and cannot solve them. Annoyed, he requested a transfer of work on the grounds that "he had little talent and could not do it." This is what a coward says. Step out of your legs, go to all parts of your work area, learn Confucius's "everything to ask", and solve problems with any talent. Because your brain is empty when you don't go out, your brain is not empty when you come back, you have loaded all the necessary materials to solve the problem, and the problem is solved in this way. Do you have to go out? Not necessarily, you can summon those who understand the situation to hold an investigation meeting, find the "source" of your so-called difficult problem, understand the "current situation", and your difficult problem will be easily solved.
Investigation is like "getting pregnant in October", solving problems is like "giving birth in one day". Investigation is the solution of the problem.
Third, oppose originalism
We say that the instructions of the leading organs at higher levels are correct, not only because they are derived from the "leading organs at higher levels", but because their content is suited to the objective and subjective situation in the struggle and is necessary for the struggle. It is very wrong not to discuss and examine according to the actual situation of the sentence and blindly implement it blindly, which is a formalistic attitude based solely on the concept of "superiors". The reason why the Party's tactical line always fails to penetrate deep into the masses is that this formalism is at work there.
We say that Marxism is right, not because Marx is a "philosopher", but because his theory, in our practice and in our struggle, has proved it right.
Fourth, apart from the actual investigation, an idealistic class assessment and an idealistic work guide will be produced, and its result will be either opportunism or blind activism
We must wash away the idealistic spirit and prevent all opportunistic blind activism mistakes from appearing in order to accomplish the task of winning the masses over the enemy. Efforts must be made to conduct practical investigations in order to wash away the idealistic spirit.
5. Techniques of investigation
(1) An investigation meeting should be held for a discussion-style investigation
Only in this way can we get closer to correct and draw conclusions. The method of not holding investigative meetings, without conducting a discussion-style investigation, and relying only on one person's experience, is prone to error. The method of asking only a few questions at random, without raising the central question and debating it at the table, cannot draw conclusions that are close to the struggle.
(2) Investigate who will be found
If only people could have a deep understanding of the socio-economic situation.
(3) It is better to have more people in the investigation meeting or less people
Look at the command ability of the investigator. There are advantages to having more people, and there are also disadvantages to having more people.
(4) It is necessary to establish a survey outline
The program should be prepared in advance, and the investigators should ask questions according to the program, and the congregation said. The so-called "investigation outline" must have an outline and a detailed item.
(5) To be personally on the horse
All those who undertake guidance work must personally engage in actual socio-economic surveys, and cannot rely solely on written reports.
(6) Go deep
For those who are engaged in investigation for the first time, to do an in-depth investigation once or twice, it is necessary to understand a place or the bottom of a problem. If you have a deep understanding of a place or a problem, it will be easy to find a way out by investigating other places and other problems in the future.
(7) Make your own records
Make your own records of the investigation and write down the results of the investigation. It is not possible to fake hands on people.
It is precisely because Comrade Mao Zedong and the whole party attach importance to the role of investigation that the party's important principles of seeking truth from facts and proceeding from the masses in everything have been established and developed, and this is also the fundamental guarantee for the party to lead the Chinese and people to achieve revolutionary victory, comprehensively develop socialism, and achieve fruitful historical results.
In daily work, it is not uncommon for investigations and studies that do not have a voice because they are incorrect.
Some rely on the network, unwilling to go deep into the front line, inserted to the end of the investigation, with "key-to-key" instead of "face-to-face";
Some have preconceived notions, sorting out materials and cutting facts according to the tastes of leaders, and distorting objective facts with subjective tone;
Some lack responsibility, dare not be more real, do not touch difficult problems, and cover up difficult contradictions with full of paper "Hello me hello everyone";
Some layers of checks, after repeated "refining" and "elevation" of the section, eventually turned out to be completely different and divorced from reality...
All these things will not lead to scientific conclusions, but will mislead the work. Looking back on history, it is necessary to find the laws and directions of history and social development from the context of history, and to make useful guidance for the current work.
Such a kind of rigorous examination of history and close integration with reality, so that the historical experience of "Mao Zedong 1930 in Jiangxi" will be re-revealed, which will have important guiding significance for today's work, it will allow history and reality to be opened up and connected, so that history will become the guideline of today's work, so that we can take fewer detours in the future, and we will go faster, better and farther.
Today, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, new situations and new problems are emerging in an endless stream, and it is all the more urgent for the majority of party members and leading cadres to strengthen investigation and study, make correct responses, and continuously win new victories in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
