People's History of Ideas Podcast

Bukharin articulates a vision of the Chinese Revolution at the 6th Party Congress which is highly colored by the non-revolutionary Marxism of the 2nd International. Further reading: Nikolai Bukharin, “On the International Situation and the Tasks of the Chinese Communist Party” Andre Gunder Frank, World Accumulation, 1492–1789 Immanuel Wallerstein, The Modern World-System, vol. I: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World-Economy in the Sixteenth Century Mao Zedong, “The Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party” Vladimir Lenin, “Two Tactics of Social-Democracy in the Democratic Revolution” Vladimir Lenin, “Once Again on The Trade Unions: The Current Situation and the Mistakes of Trotsky and Bukharin” Hung Hsueh-ping, “The Essence of ‘Theory of Productive Forces’ is to oppose Proletarian Revolution” Some names from this episode: Nikolai Bukharin, general secretary of the executive committee of the Comintern Chen Duxiu, Co-founder and first general secretary of the Communist Party Mikhail Borodin, Comintern agent and head of Soviet mission to aid the Guomindang during the period of the first united front Support the show

Nikolai Bukharin kicks off the party congress with a very long speech. Further reading: Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party Chang Kuo-t’ao [Zhang Guotao], The Rise of the Chinese Communist Party (2 volumes) E. H. Carr, Foundations of a Planned Economy, vol. 3 Nikolai Bukharin, “On the International Situation and the Tasks of the Chinese Communist Party” Nicholas Kozlov and Eric Weitz, “Reflections on the Origins of the ‘Third Period’: Bukharin, the Comintern, and the Political Economy of Weimar Germany” Theodore Rosengarten, All God’s Dangers: The Life of Nate Shaw Robin Kelley, Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists during the Great Depression Some names from this episode: Nikolai Bukharin, general secretary of the executive committee of the Comintern Zhang Guotao, Leading Communist Qu Qiubai, Top leader of the Chinese Communist Party from the August 7, 1927 emergency meeting until the 6th Party Congress Eugen Varga, Hungarian communist economist Support the show

The decision to hold the Sixth Party Congress in Moscow, and some of the political debate inside the Communist Party of China leading up to that Congress. Further reading: Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party Patricia Stranahan, Underground: The Shanghai Communist Party and the Politics of Survival, 1927-1937 Daniel Kwan, Marxist Intellectuals and the Chinese Labor Movement: A Study of Deng Zhongxia, 1894-1933 Chang Kuo-t’ao [Zhang Guotao], The Rise of the Chinese Communist Party (2 volumes) E. H. Carr, Foundations of a Planned Economy, vol. 3 Organization of Communist Revolutionaries, “The CP, the Sixties, the RCP, and the Crying Need for a Communist Vanguard Party Today: Summing up a century of communist leadership, organization, strategy, and practice in the United States so that we can rise to the challenges before us” Some names from this episode: Qu Qiubai, Top leader of the Chinese Communist Party from the August 7, 1927 emergency meeting until the 6th Party Congress Zhang Guotao, Leading Communist Chen Duxiu, General Secretary of the Communist Party until summer 1927 Zhou Enlai, Leading Communist Support the show

Potentially explosive guidance arrives in the Jinggangshan from the 6th Party Congress of the Communist Party, and plans are laid to break out of the enemy encirclement. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong, “Combat Liberalism” Some names from this episode: Peng Dehuai, Guomindang colonel who was secretly a Communist and who launched an uprising in July 1928 Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Wang Shouhua, President of the General Labor Union Chen Yi, Political commissar for the 28th regiment of the Fourth Red Army Long Chaoqing, secretary of the Ninggang County Committee of the Communist Party Wang Huai, secretary of the Yongxin County Committee of the Communist Party He Changgong, important Fourth Red Army cadre Support the show

The national Guomindang center takes note of the Communists’ resilience, and takes charge of organizing a new suppression campaign, which is preceded by a tight economic blockade. Peng Dehuai makes his way to the Jinggangshan. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Mao Zedong, “The Struggle in the Chingkang Mountains” Edward Dreyer, China at War: 1901-1949 James Sheridan, China in Disintegration: The Republican Era in Chinese History, 1912-1949 Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De] Peng Dehuai, Memoirs of a Chinese Marshall Some names from this episode: Chen Yi, Political commissar for the 28th regiment of the Fourth Red Army Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong He Zizhen, Communist cadre known as the “Two-Gunned Girl General” Peng Dehuai, Guomindang colonel who was secretly a Communist and who launched an uprising in July 1928 Teng Daiyuan, Fifth Red Army leading cadre He Changgong, important Fourth Red Army cadre Support the show

A close reading of a couple portions of Mao’s November 25, 1928 report to the Central Committee. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 2: National Revolution and Social Revolution, December 1920-June 1927 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Mao Zedong, “The Struggle in the Chingkang Mountains” Names listed as having attended Nov. 6 meeting mentioned near the beginning of the episode: Zhu De, Chen Yi, He Tingying, He Changgong, Yuan Wencai, Wang Zuo, Tan Zhenlin, Deng Ganyuan, Li Quefei, Chen Zhengren, Wang Zuonong, Xiao Wanxia, Liu Huixiao, Xie Chunbiao, Liu Di, Xiong Shouqi, Yang Kaiming, Cao Shuo, Deng Jiuting, Mao Zedong, Song Qiaosheng, Peng Gu, and Yuan Desheng. Support the show

Finishing our close reading of the resolution of the Border Area Party Congress of October 4 to 6, 1928. Also, the reorganization and purge of the party following the Communist recovery of the Jinggangshan base area after the August Defeat. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Charles Bettelheim, Class Struggles in the USSR: First Period: 1917-1923 Fyodor Vasilievich Gladkov, Cement Support the show

A discussion of the concept of opportunism as it developed in the international communist movement, and a close reading of the self-critical portion of the resolution of the Border Area Party Congress of October 4 to 6, 1928. Further reading: Lenin, “Opportunism, and the Collapse of the Second International” Cheng Yen-shih, ed., Lenin’s Fight Against Revisionism and Opportunism Mao Zedong, “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People” Lynn White, Policies of Chaos: The Organizational Causes of Violence in China's Cultural Revolution Some names from this episode: Du Xiujing, Inspector sent to the Jinggangshan by the Hunan Provincial Committee in May 1928 and who returned in June Liu Zhen, Secretary of the Yongxin County Party Committee Support the show

A close reading of the portion of the resolution of the Border Area Party Congress of October 4 to 6, 1928, which later became a key early text in the Maoist canon. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Mao Zedong, “Why Is It that Red Political Power Can Exist in China?” Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Jane Degras, ed., The Communist International, 1919-1943: Documents, vol. 2: 1923-1928 A name from this episode: Du Xiujing, Inspector sent to the Jinggangshan by the Hunan Provincial Committee in May 1928 and who returned in June Support the show

The Communists fight to regain lost territory, and ethnic tensions explode among the peasants in the base area. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Some names from this episode: Du Xiujing, Inspector sent to the Jinggangshan by the Hunan Provincial Committee in May 1928 and who returned in June Gong Chu, Political commissar for the 29th regiment Chen Yi, Political commissar for the 28th regiment Kang Keqing, Peasant guerrilla fighter from Wan’an County Yuan Wencai, Leader of the 32nd regiment Support the show

The 29th Regiment goes against Mao’s orders and decides to stay in Hunan, with disastrous results for the Communists. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De] Jurgen Domes, Peng Te-huai: The Man and the Image Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Some names from this episode: Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Hu Shaohai, Commander of the 29th regiment of the 4th Red Army Du Xiujing, Inspector sent to the Jinggangshan by the Hunan Provincial Committee in May 1928 and who returned in June Fan Shisheng, Guomindang general and old friend of Zhu De Yuan Chongquan, 28th Regiment battalion commander who mutinied Yuan Desheng, Representative of the Hunan Provincial Committee Peng Dehuai, Guomindang colonel who was secretly a Communist and who launched an uprising in July 1928 Support the show

Mao explains his refusal to comply with orders from the Hunan Provincial Committee. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Some names from this episode: Du Xiujing, Inspector sent to the Jinggangshan by the Hunan Provincial Committee in May 1928 and who returned in June Yuan Desheng, Representative of the Hunan Provincial Committee in the Jinggangshan Yang Chisheng, Guomindang commander defeated by the Communists in June 1928 Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Wang Jun, Guomindang military commander in Jiangxi Shang Chengjie, Guomindang military commander in Hunan Xu Kexiang, Guomindang military commander in Hunan Wu Shang, Guomindang military commander in Hunan Support the show

A talk that I recently delivered at the University of Hamburg, focused on the development of a new socialist political economy late in the Cultural Revolution and how this influenced the Communist Party of Peru. Further reading: Alessandro Russo, Cultural Revolution and Revolutionary Culture Fabio Lanza, The End of Concern: Maoist China, Activism, and Asian Studies Antonio Díaz Martínez, China: La revolución agraria Catalina Adrianzén, “Semblanza de Antonio Díaz Martínez” Peer Moller Christensen and Jorgen Delman, “A Theory of Transitional Society: Mao Zedong and the Shanghai School” Stephen Andors, China's Industrial Revolution: Politics, Planning, and Management, 1949 to the Present Some names from this episode: Catalina Adrianzén, Peruvian anthropologist in China from 1974-1976 Antonio Díaz Martínez, Peruvian agronomist in China from 1974-1976 Zhang Chunqiao, Leading figure on Maoist left in China Jiang Qing, Leading figure on Maoist left in China Support the show

In light of the Ukraine crisis, a historical look at communist thinking on the connection between a third world war and revolution. Further reading: Sergei N. Goncharov, John W. Lewis, and Xue Litai, Uncertain Partners: Stalin, Mao, and the Korean War David Holloway, Stalin and the Bomb Edward Wilson, “Thank you Vasili Arkhipov, the man who stopped nuclear war” Mao Zedong, “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People” Mao Zedong, “Speech at a Meeting of the Representatives of 64 Communist and Workers’ Parties” M. Upshaw, “Considerations on a Revolutionary Situation in the United States: Likely Triggering Factors, Potential Political Contours” Some names from this episode: Vyacheslav Molotov, Soviet foreign minister Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov, Soviet submarine officer who averted nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis Support the show

The Hunan Provincial Committee decides that Mao must obey its authority. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Elizabeth Perry, Anyuan: Mining China’s Revolutionary Tradition Some names from this episode: Wang Meisheng, Courier between Anyuan and the Jinggangshan Du Xiujing, Inspector sent to the Jinggangshan by the Hunan Provincial Committee Yuan Desheng, Sent to work in the Jinggangshan by the Hunan Provincial Committee Yang Kaiming, Sent by Hunan Provincial Committee to replace Mao as secretary of the Jinggangshan special committee Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Support the show

In the wake of their military victories in late Spring 1928, the Communists carried out a major land redistribution and a mass recruitment drive. There were some unforeseen complications. Further reading: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Marcia Ristaino, China’s Art of Revolution: The Mobilization of Discontent, 1927 and 1928 Some names from this episode: Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Support the show

Mao Zedong and Zhu De learn warfare through warfare as they face continuing onslaughts from Guomindang forces. Further reading/watching: Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 China: A Century of Revolution documentary Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), “Experiences of the People’s War and Some Important Questions” Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), “Advance in the Great Direction of Creating Base Areas!” Mao Zedong, “Problems of Strategy in China’s Revolutionary War” Name from this episode: Sunzi [Sun Tzu], Ancient Chinese general Support the show

The unification of Mao Zedong’s and Zhu De’s forces. Some discussion of the problems involved in unifying the Communist armed forces. Further reading: Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De] Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangshan Base Area Pang Xianzhi and Jin Chongji, Mao Zedong: A Biography, vol. 1: 1893-1949 Stuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 3: From the Jinggangshan to the Establishment of the Jiangxi Soviets, July 1927-December 1930 Some names from this episode: Zhu De, Communist military commander Wang Zuo, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Ye Ting, Commander of the 4th Army during the Northern Expedition Chen Yi, Leading Communist who served with Zhu De Yuan Wencai, Bandit leader who joined with Mao Zedong Hu Shaohai, Communist from South Hunan Lin Biao, Communist military officer Support the show

Discussing pay for professional revolutionaries, the role of servants in the lives of Communist leaders, and the Comintern in Shanghai. Further reading: Patricia Stranahan, Underground: The Shanghai Communist Party and the Politics of Survival, 1927-1937 Elizabeth Perry, Shanghai on Strike: The Politics of Chinese Labor Wang Fan-hsi [Wang Fanxi], Memoirs of a Chinese Revolutionary Gavin McCrea, Mrs. Engels Frederick Litten, “The Noulens Affair” Anna Belogurova, “The Civic World of International Communism: Taiwanese communists and the Comintern (1921-1931)” Onimaru Takeshi, “Shanghai Connection: The Construction and Collapse of the Comintern Network in East and Southeast Asia” Jospehine Fowler, “From East to West and West to East: Ties of Solidarity in the Pan-Pacific Revolutionary Trade Union Movement, 1923-1934” Josephine Fowler, Japanese and Chinese Immigrant Activists: Organizing in American and International Communist Movements, 1919–1933 Frederic Wakeman, Policing Shanghai, 1927-1937 Some names from this episode: Liu Shaoqi, Leading Communist He Baozhen, Communist cadre and wife of Liu Shaoqi Li Dazhao, Co-founder of Chinese Communist Party Qu Qiubai, Top Communist leader Wang Fanxi, A member of the Central Committee Organization Bureau Zhang Guotao, Leading Communist Peng Shuzi, Leading Communist expelled in 1929 Support the show

How did the Communist Party try to protect itself in Shanghai? We discuss the compartmentalized party organization and the creation of the Special Services Division. Further reading: Patricia Stranahan, Underground: The Shanghai Communist Party and the Politics of Survival, 1927-1937 Timothy Cheek, “Making Maoism: Ideology and Organization in the Yan’an Rectification Movement, 1942-1944” Mao Zedong, “Combat Liberalism” Xuezhi Guo, China's Security State: Philosophy, Evolution, and Politics Some names from this episode: Qu Qiubai, Top Communist leader from mid-1927 to mid-1928 Wang Shiwei, Cadre expelled during Yan’an rectification campaign Gu Shunzhang, Zhou Enlai’s deputy in the Special Services Division He Zhihua, Zhu De’s former lover from Germany, who betrayed the Communist Party Support the show