The Return of Mao Zedong: On the Resumption of the Publication of the Pan-Left Journal 《中流》"Zhongliu"

“Long live Chairman Mao, the red sun in the hearts of the universal revolution’s people!”

The ``cultural revolution'' should also be viewed scientifically and in historical perspective. In initiating it Comrade Mao Zedong was actuated mainly by the desire to oppose and prevent revisionism. As for the shortcomings that appeared during the course of the ``cultural revolution'' and the mistakes that were made then, at an appropriate time they should be summed up and lessons should be drawn from them -- that is essential for achieving unity of understanding throughout the Party. The ``cultural revolution'' has become a stage in the course of China's socialist development, hence we must evaluate it. However, there is no need to do so hastily. Serious research must be done before we can make a scientific appraisal of this historical stage. It may take a rather long time to fully understand and assess some of the particular issues involved. We will probably be able to make a more correct analysis of this period in history after some time has passed than we can right now. (Deng Xiaooping, "Emancipate the mind, seek truth from facts and unite as one in looking to the future" (13 December 1978)

Almost nothing now says New Era theory in China like Mao Zedong. It has become quite apparent that the great fear of Marxist Leninist intellectual elites after 2010, of a re-centering of the development of Marxist Leninism from vigilance against left error (and the avoidance of a return to the sensibilities of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution) to a growing suspicion (and rectification) of right error (and the avoidance of the idea that Marxist Leninism was itself a step toward the adoption of liberal democratic sensibilities, or bureaucrat-capitalism of the sort favored now in the West) has been reversed in the current stage of Chinese development.

Video embedded in AppleDaily HERE

This has been signaled in a variety of ways since the start if the leadership of the current core. One of the most interesting is likely to go unnoticed in the West. After 19 years, it was recently announced that the leftist journal Leftist magazine "Zhongliu" has resumed publication. Thin August 2001 e announcement is particularly newsworthy considering the circumstances around its cessation of publication as a consequence of its strong criticism of Jiang' Zemin's Three Represents (discussed HERE). As a self described Pan-leftist journal, it seeks to contribute to the revival of Chinese socialism in the 21st century. Whatever its self description--what has become clear is that the old era dominated by the influence of Deng Xiaoping, is not so slowly receding.  It will be for the Chinese intellectual classes to catch up, and, eventually, for Western elites, to begin to reframe the way they can approach the re-invigorated leftism of Chinese Marxism--and especially its Leninism.

Some reporting about this revival follows in the original Chinese and in crude English Translation. You can decide for yourselves whether, as was reported in the second article below, "that these leftists have no influence on current Chinese politics. The Chinese Communist Party currently needs the voice of the leftists, but it does not mean that they will be allowed to sit up or lose control." I would suggest instead that in its new form, 《中流》will serve as an important bellwether and a testing laboratory--it will serve as a controlled off site expression of internal exercises of democratic centralism that continue to tilt left.

停刊19年 左派雜誌《中流》復刊　學者：填補意識形態真空 為二十大鋪路
2020/09/09 15:29

停刊19年的左派雜誌《中流》上個月復刊，新的《中流叢刊》率先在微信公眾號發布電子版，售價為18元。

適逢今年是《中流》創刊人魏巍誕辰100周年，《中流叢刊》負責人表示會繼承魏巍的精神，以馬列毛思想為宗旨，鼓勵並倡導馬克思主義、毛左派、民族主義等構建對話平台，為21世紀中國社會主義復興提供思想動能。

首期《中流叢刊》有接近200頁，刊出超過20篇文章，包括「回到馬克思」和「紀念魏巍」兩個專題，並收錄新左派學者汪暉分析國際關係的文章。雜誌預告下期會有紀念列寧誕辰150周年專題，及北京大學教授孔慶東的文章。

《中流》雜誌在1988年創辦，當時走毛澤東思想路線，著力批判修正主義。2001年7月1日，時任中共總書記江澤民在中共黨慶80周年大會上進一步闡述「三個代表」理論，容許私營企業家入黨。魏巍等人撰文批評是重大政治錯誤，質疑是向資產階級投降，違反了黨章的原則。一個月後，《中流》和另一本左派雜誌《真理的追求》宣布停刊。


《中流叢刊》19年後再次出版，並以新左派、新毛派論述為主，跟19年前的毛派論述不同，政治學者吳強指，是反映了中央目前的意識形態傾向：「中流跟中國政治和中國意識形態風向有密切關係，它的存在代表黨內毛主義理論陣地。我相信他們有意製造主流刊物之外，更激進、更原教旨主義、更新毛主義的意識形態陣地。」


吳強又指，刊物是為了填補目前國內意識形態真空，以及解決中國被國際孤立的困境，更是為了兩年後的二十大鋪路。
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Suspension of publication for 19 years. Leftist magazine "Zhongliu" resumes publication. Scholar: Filling the ideological vacuum and paving the way for the Twenty Great
2020/09/09 15:29

The 19-year-old leftist magazine "Zhongliu" resumed publication last month, and the new "Zhongliu Series" was the first to publish an electronic version on the WeChat public account, priced at 18 yuan.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Wei Wei, the founder of "Zhongliu". The person in charge of "Zhongliu" said that he would inherit the spirit of Wei Wei, take Marxism-Leninism-Mao thought as its purpose, and encourage and advocate Marxism, Maoist leftists, nationalism, etc. to build a dialogue platform. Provide ideological momentum for the Chinese socialist revival in the 21st century.

The first issue of "Zhongliu Series" has nearly 200 pages and published more than 20 articles, including two special topics, "Return to Marx" and "Memorial to Wei Wei". It also includes articles by New Leftist scholar Wang Hui analyzing international relations. The magazine predicts that the next issue will commemorate Lenin’s 150th birthday, as well as an article by Peking University professor Kong Qingdong.

The magazine "Zhongliu" was founded in 1988, when it followed Mao Zedong's line of thought and focused on criticizing revisionism. On July 1, 2001, the then General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Jiang Zemin further elaborated on the "Three Represents" theory at the 80th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, allowing private entrepreneurs to join the party. Wei Wei and others criticized the article as a major political error, and questioned it as surrendering to the bourgeoisie, which violated the principles of the Party Constitution. A month later, "Zhongliu" and another leftist magazine "The Pursuit of Truth" announced the suspension of publication.

"Zhongliu Series" was republished 19 years later, and focused on New Leftist and New Maoist discourses. Unlike the Maoist discourse 19 years ago, political scholar Wu Qiang pointed out that it reflects the current ideological tendency of the central government: Chinese politics is closely related to the trend of Chinese ideology. Its existence represents the theoretical position of Maoism within the party. I believe that they intend to create a more radical, fundamentalist, and newer Maoist ideological position in addition to mainstream publications."

Wu Qiang also pointed out that publications are meant to fill the current domestic ideological vacuum and solve the dilemma of China's isolation by the international community, and it is also to pave the way for the Twenty Great Wall two years later.

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曾批江泽民极其重大政治错误 《中流》复刊引惊讶

发表时间： 08/09/2020 - 11:58

停刊19年的中国内地左翼杂志《中流》近日“复刊”，以电子版形式刊出《中流丛刊》创刊号，推出“纪念魏巍”和“回到马克思”两个专辑。评论指此可被看成是复刊。2001年，该杂志因批评时任中共总书记江泽民发表“七一讲话”是极其重大的政治错误事件而被停刊。香港媒体说，《中流》极左捍卫社会主义，连中共都惊讶。

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据苹果日报今天报道称，《中流》复刊，曾批江泽民遭停刊19年，中共左翼杂志复办惹争议。
据《明报》今天9月8日消息说，该刊负责人表示，将以马列毛主义为根本宗旨，鼓励并倡导包括传统马克思主义、毛左派、国家主义等在内不同观念的讨论和碰撞，为21世纪中国社会主义的复兴提供思想动能。左翼网站、同时是《中流丛刊》发行方的“进步文化网”8月发文宣布创刊。明报文章称，2020年是《中流》创刊人、已故作家魏巍诞辰100周年，该刊选择在2020年创刊，并沿用《中流》的名称，显然有继承魏巍精神的象征意义。
文章援引不具名的该刊负责人称，“《中流丛刊》作为泛左翼杂志，将以马列毛主义为根本宗旨，努力摆脱各种小团体、小圈子意识，立足于当下中国社会以及知识界的复杂状况，鼓励并倡导包括传统马克思主义、青年马克思主义、毛左派、自由主义左派、国家主义、民族主义及民主社会主义、托派等在内不同观念的讨论和碰撞，构建主流与边缘，学院与民间的对话平台，凝聚共识，为21世纪中国社会主义的复兴提供思想动能。”
创刊号刊登了魏巍的遗作《在新世纪的门槛上》《我是怎样写<东方>的》；在“回到马克思”专辑中则收录了学者汪晖、作家张承志、法国马克思主义理论家萨米尔·阿明（Samir Amin）、印度知名左派知识分子阿兰达蒂·洛伊（Arundhati Roy）等中外左派学者的文章，主题涉及讨论“21世纪马克思主义”、关注劳动者地位变迁、批判《武汉封城日记》作者方方及新冠肺炎（COVID-19）疫情下中国右派的“暴起和陨落”等。《中流丛刊》目前仅推出电子版，可通过微信商店订阅，纸版“将待条件成熟后适时推出”。
该报道说，北京独立学者吴强对《苹果》 表示，《中流》属于马克思原教主义者及新毛派的言论阵营，曾对国际形势进行过不少分析及研究，停刊18年后再次“恢刊”，应是得到中共最高层的默许与支持。吴强进一步指出，这涉及内地意识形态倾向的问题，例如今年6月，中央党校副校长何毅亭在《学习时报》上撰文盛赞“习思想”是“21世纪马克思主义”。而他相信，中共借着允计《中流》恢办向外界发出意识形态转向的讯号，为两年后的中共二十大做好准备。至于是什么的准备，吴强则未有再作解释。

苹果引述资深时时评论员刘锐绍则指，中共容许停刊19年的《中流》复办，主要是卸力的表现，避免过度打压这批“毛左”，令他们变得更为激进。据刘锐绍表示，中共在意识形态方面，向来都是“宁左勿右”，即使思想邀进，但没有违背党中共的核心利益，官方都会这些左派刊物继续存在。但若果这些左派刊物稍与官方口径不同步，或对社会做成实质影响，中共就会出手打压。据刘锐绍又谓，像数年前的乌有之乡，以及去年支持深圳等地独立工人运动的一批受大学生，这些受马克思主义影响的左派份子，最后也被收拾与打压。事实上，中共曾承认，在内地有几百万“毛左”或马克思主义的死硬派。由于思想极度左倾，他们甚至否定中共“形左实右”的经济与社会政策，部份人还越打压越激进。
苹果日报说，不过，刘锐绍认为，这批左派对当前的中国政治毫无影响力。中共官方现时需要左派声音，但不表示会让他们坐大或不受控。

Once criticized Jiang Zemin for extremely serious political errors, "Zhongliu" resumed publication and surprised

Posting time: 08/09/2020-11:58
The Chinese left-wing magazine "Zhongliu", which has been suspended for 19 years, recently "re-published" and published the inaugural issue of "Zhongliu Series" in an electronic version, and launched two albums "In Memory of Wei Wei" and "Return to Marx". The comments stated that this could be considered a reissue. In 2001, the magazine was suspended for criticizing the then General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Jiang Zemin's "July 1 Speech" as an extremely serious political error. The Hong Kong media said that "Zhongliu" defended socialism on the extreme left, and even the CCP was surprised.
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According to an Apple Daily report today, "Zhongliu" was re-published and Jiang Zemin had been suspended for 19 years. The re-run of the CCP's left-wing magazine caused controversy.

According to news from Ming Pao today on September 8, the person in charge of the magazine stated that it will take Marxism-Leninism-Maoism as its fundamental purpose and encourage and advocate the discussion and collision of different concepts including traditional Marxism, Maoist leftists, and nationalism. Provide ideological momentum for the revival of Chinese socialism in the 21st century. The "Progressive Culture Network", the left-wing website and the publisher of "Zhongliu Series", published an article in August and announced its launch. The Ming Pao article stated that 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Wei Wei, the founder of "Zhongliu" and the late writer. The magazine chose to start the publication in 2020 and use the name "Zhongliu", which obviously has the symbolic significance of inheriting Wei Wei's spirit.

The article quoted the unnamed person in charge of the journal as saying, "As a pan-leftist magazine, "Zhongliu Series" will take Marxism-Leninism-Maoism as its fundamental purpose, and strive to get rid of various small groups and small circle consciousness, based on the complexities of the current Chinese society and intellectual circles Status, encourage and advocate the discussion and collision of different ideas including traditional Marxism, young Marxism, Maoist leftists, liberal leftists, nationalism, nationalism and democratic socialism, Trotskyism, etc., to build the mainstream and marginalization, the college and A non-governmental dialogue platform builds consensus and provides ideological momentum for the revival of Chinese socialism in the 21st century."

The inaugural issue published Wei Wei’s posthumous works "On the Threshold of the New Century" and "How I Write "; the "Back to Marx" album included scholar Wang Hui, writer Zhang Chengzhi, and French Marxist theorist Articles by Chinese and foreign leftist scholars such as Samir Amin and Arundhati Roy, a well-known leftist intellectual in India. The topics involve discussions on "21st Century Marxism", concerns about changes in the status of workers, and criticism of " Fang Fang, the author of "Diary of a Closing City in Wuhan", and the "rising and falling" of Chinese rightists under the new crown pneumonia (COVID-19) epidemic. "Zhongliu Series" is currently only available in electronic version, which can be subscribed through the WeChat store, and the paper version "will be launched in due course when conditions are ripe."

According to the report, Wu Qiang, an independent scholar in Beijing, told Apple that "Zhongliu" belongs to the camp of Marxist fundamentalists and neo-Maoists. He has conducted a lot of analysis and research on the international situation. "Journal" should have the tacit approval and support of the highest level of the CCP. Wu Qiang further pointed out that this involves the issue of ideological trends in the Mainland. For example, in June this year, He Yiting, vice president of the Central Party School, wrote an article in the "Study Times" praising "Xi's thought" as "21st century Marxism." And he believes that the CCP used "Zhongliu" to resume its ideological turn signal to the outside world to prepare for the 20th National Congress of the CCP two years later. As for what the preparations were, Wu Qiang didn't explain further.

Apple quoted senior and current commentator Liu Ruishao as saying that the CCP allowed the 19-year suspension of publication of "Zhongliu" to resume, mainly as a performance to avoid excessive suppression of these "Mao Zuo" groups and make them more radical. According to Liu Ruishao, in terms of ideology, the CCP has always "preferred the left rather than the right." Even if the ideology invites in, it does not violate the core interests of the party and the CCP. Officials will continue to exist for these leftist publications. However, if these leftist publications are slightly out of sync with the official calibre, or have a substantial impact on society, the CCP will crack down. According to Liu Ruishao, leftists who were influenced by Marxism, like the town of nothing a few years ago and a group of college students who supported the independent labor movement in Shenzhen and other places last year, were finally cleaned up and suppressed. In fact, the CCP has admitted that there are millions of "Mao Zuo" or Marxist diehards in the Mainland. Because of their extreme leftist thinking, they even denied the CCP’s economic and social policy of “forming the left and real the right”. Some people have become more radical as they suppress it.

Apple Daily said, however, Liu Ruishao believes that these leftists have no influence on current Chinese politics. The Chinese Communist Party currently needs the voice of the leftists, but it does not mean that they will be allowed to sit up or lose control.