Research On The Mohist Thought And The Cadre Group Construction Of The CPC

The CPC takes Marxism as its guide to action and has been actively promoting the sinicization of Marxism, which refers to the fusion of Marxism with the concrete reality of China, with the culture of the Chinese nation. Singling out the Mohist thought as its object of research, the present dissertation aims to probe into the important role it has played in the sinicization of Marxism, the bearing it has had on the theories and policies of the CPC, and its significane for the buildup of a high-calibre cadre group.Representing the interests of the labourers who provided the society with daily necessities, the Mohist thought is an important component of the traditional Chinese culture, and as such has played an important role in shaping Chinese history and defining the cultural identity of the Chinese nation. However, the significance of the Mohist thought has been hitherto largely neglected by researchers in the fields of the history of the CPC and the sinicization of Marxism, with the result that its relationship with the sinicization of Marxism and its influence on the CPC remain unexplored territory to a great degree.As a matter of fact, the Mohist thought once prevailed over Confucianism in the beginning of the 20th century, and was recognized as the school of thought that could save China. This is the reason why most explorers for a way out for China sought to integrate it with the socialist theory recently introduced from the West. The resurgence of the Mohist thought provided just the right cultural soil for the socialist theory to take root in China. The leading figures of the May the fourth movement regarded the Mohist thought as a powerful weapon in the fight against Confucianism and in the quest for the emancipation of the mind. Members of the CPC, with Mao Zedong and Cai Hesen as their representatives, also borrowed from and put into practice the Mohist thought.In the Yan'an Period, the CPC led by Mao Zedong actively advocated the Mohist thought. The Yan'an spirit, which epitomizes the fine working style of the CPC, is a perfect fusion of the progressiveness represented by the CPC, and quintessence of the Chinese traditional culture represented by the Mohist thought. The Mohist thought remains highly relevant to the CPC's fight against corruption and should be advocated as an antidote to Hedonism. The significance of the Mohist thought for the buildup of a high-calibre cadre group is manifested in the following aspects:Regarding ideological construction, its advocacy of "universal love", protecting the interests of the laborers, "upholding endeavor", and "anti-fatalism" remains relevant today in that it can help foster the spirit among the cadres of taking the interests of the people to heart, serving the people whole-heartedly, self-reliance, and never-ending self-improvement.Regarding building a fine working style, its advocacy of "exerting oneself to the utmost", "so said, so done", and "dedicating oneself completely to the welfare of mankind" remains relevant today in that it can help foster the spirit of working hard, practicing what one preaches, and sacrificing one's own interests for the general interests.Regarding organization construction, its advocacy of "esteeming talents" remains relevant in that it is conducive to upholding the policy of "appointing people on their merits" and thus conducive to the buildup of a high-caliber cadre group.Regarding system construction, its advocacy of "the Mohist's Law" and "identification with the superior" remains relevant in that it is conducive to preserving the integrity of the system and building democratic centralism.Regarding combating corruption and building a clean government, its advocacy of "economy of expenditure" and opposition to extravagance and unrestrained indulgence remain relevant today in that they are conducive to preventing corruption and creating a climate of honest and clean administration.It can be said that the Mohist thought has played and will continue to play an irreplaceable role in all aspects of the buildup of a high-caliber cadre group.Of course, as part of the traditional Chinese culture born in the pre-capitalist era, the Mohist thought is not without its limitations, manifested by the arbitrary decision-making style of the Mohist leaders, entrenched egalitarianism, utopian socialism, and the belief in god and ghost. Therefore, the Mohist thought should be subjected to modern transformation with Marxism as guidelines before it can be used as native cultural resources in the never-ending sinicization of Marxism.