Quote

The popular masses are like water, and the army is like a fish. How then can it be said that when there is water, a fish will have difficulty in preserving its existence? An army which fails to maintain good discipline gets into opposition with the popular masses, and thus by its own action dries up the water.

Mao Zedong

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Mao Zedong
Age: 82 †
Born: 1893
Born: December 26
Died: 1976
Died: September 9
Calligrapher
Former Chairman Of The Communist Party Of China
Librarian
Philosopher
Poet
Political Theorist
Politician
Revolutionary
Strategist
Mao Tse-tung
Chairman Mao
Mao Ze Dong
Maozedong
Tse Toung Mao
Existence
Difficulty
Preserving
Water
Thus
Fails
Action
Army
Masses
Good
Discipline
Maintain
Like
Mass
Opposition
Failing
Fish
Gets
Fishes
Military
Popular
Dries

More quotes by Mao Zedong

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We Communists are like seeds and the people are like the soil. Wherever we go, we must unite with the people, take root and blossom among them.
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Ours is a people's democratic dictatorship, led by the working class and based on the worker-peasant alliance.
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Anyone who sees only the bright side but not the difficulties cannot fight effectively for the accomplishment of the Party's tasks.
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Complacency is the enemy of study. We cannot really learn anything until we rid ourselves of complacency.
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Civilize the mind but make savage the body.
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As for the imperialist countries, we should unite with their peoples and strive to coexist peacefully with those countries, do business with them and prevent any possible war, but under no circumstances should we harbour any unrealistic notions about them.
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The most effective method of propaganda directed at the enemy forces is to release captured soldiers and give the wounded medical treatment... Whenever soldiers of enemy forces are captured, we immediately conduct propaganda among them...This immediately knocks the bottom out of the enemy's slander that the Communist bandits kill everyone on sight.
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Communists should be the most farsighted, the most self-sacrificing, the most resolute, and the least prejudiced in sizing up situations, and should rely on the majority of the masses and win their support.
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If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution.
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There is in fact no such thing as art for art's sake, art that stands above classes, art that is detached from or independent of politics. Proletarian literature and art are part of the whole proletarian revolutionary cause.
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It is up to us to organize the people. As for the reactionaries in China, it is up to us to organize the people to overthrow them. Everything reactionary is the same if you do not hit it, it will not fall. This is also like sweeping the floor as a rule, where the broom does not reach, the dust will not vanish of itself.
Mao Zedong