Mao Zedong’s a Critique of Soviet Economics

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/worlrevipoliecon.13.4.0531
• Published date: 20 October 2022
• Date: 20 October 2022
• Pages: 531-558
• Author: Joe Pateman
• Subject Matter: Mao Zedong,China,Soviet Union,political economy,Marxism

World revieW of Political economy vol. 13 no. 4 Winter 2022

MAO ZEDONG’S A CRITIQUE OF SOVIET

ECONOMICS

Bringing the “Political” Back into “Economy”

Joe Pateman

Joe Pateman is a Teaching Associate in Politics at the University of Sheffield. His main research interests

include Marxism-Leninism, North Korean politics, democratic theory, and Black liberation ideologies.

He is the co-author of Public Libraries and Marxism (Routledge 2021). Email: joepateman@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract: Since its inception, Marxism has showcased the scientific superiority of political

economy over economics. This article argues that Mao Zedong played an important role in

demonstrating this superiority. In his A Critique of Soviet Economics, Mao criticised Soviet

political economy for its economic focus, which underestimated the importance of politics

and ideology. It was essential, Mao argued, to explore how the political and ideological

superstructure affects the economic base. Only then can political economy scientifically

understand the processes of socio-economic development, most notably the socialist

revolution and period of socialist construction. This article argues that Mao’s arguments

retain key insights for the study and development of Marxist political economy today.

They remain especially important in the People’s Republic of China. By upholding and

enriching Mao’s insights into the critical role of politics and ideology under socialism, the

Communist Party of China has ensured the successful development of socialism with

Chinese characteristics.

Key words: Mao Zedong; China; Soviet Union; political economy; Marxism

Since its inception, Marxism has showcased the scientific superiority of political

economy over economics. Political economy has been more successful in predict-

ing, understanding, and addressing key socio-economic developments, and

Marxist political economists have led the way. A major explanation for this is that

political economy is a more comprehensive methodology. Whereas economics

focuses exclusively upon economic phenomena, in abstraction from the other

social spheres, political economy recognises the interdependence of economics

DOI:10.13169/worlrevipoliecon.13.4.0531

532 JOE PATEMAN

WRPE Produced and distributed by Pluto Journals www.plutojournals.com/wrpe/

and politics. This distinction has enabled political economy to develop a more

scientific analysis of society.

This article argues that Mao Zedong played an important role in demonstrating

this distinction. In his A Critique of Soviet Economics, Mao criticised Soviet politi-

cal economy for its economic focus, which underestimated the importance of poli-

tics and ideology (Levy 1975, 97, 100, 101; Gittings 1975, 31; Ehrenberg 1981,

301). It was essential, Mao argued, to explore how the political and ideological

superstructure affects the economic base. Only then can political economy scien-

tifically understand the processes of socio-economic development, most notably

the socialist revolution and period of socialist construction. This article argues that

Mao’s arguments retain key insights for the study and development of Marxist

political economy today. They remain especially important in the People’s Republic

of China. By upholding and enriching Mao’s insights into the critical role of poli-

tics and ideology under socialism, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has

ensured the successful development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

To develop these arguments, this article begins by outlining the historical con-

text, contents, and ideological perspective of Mao’s A Critique of Soviet Economics.

It then examines the work itself, focusing on Mao’s arguments concerning the

relationship between the economic base and political–ideological superstructure

in the study of political economy, specifically as they relate to the processes of

social change, socialist revolution, and socialist construction. Finally, the article

argues that Mao’s arguments provide contemporary insights into the theory and

study of political economy, the socialist revolution, and the successful construc-

tion of socialism in modern China.

The Historical Context, Contents, and Ideological Perspective of

Mao’s A Critique of Soviet Economics

Mao began his A Critique of Soviet Economics in 1958, when the Communist

Party of China promoted its second five-year plan, otherwise known as the Great

Leap Forward. This was an economic and social campaign to transform the coun-

try from an agrarian economy into a communist society (Knight 1985, 104).

During this campaign, which lasted until 1962, Mao and the party called for a

dramatic increase in economic production output, especially grain yields, in addi-

tion to the industrialisation and collectivisation of the countryside. Prior to the

Great Leap Forward, some of China’s economic policies, systems, and structures

were based upon the Soviet model. As Sayer (1979, 113) argues, however, the

Great Leap Forward “saw Mao’s definitive abandonment of Soviet development

strategies,” as he looked for alternative strategies that suited China’s national con-

ditions (see also Knight 1985, 94). In response, the Soviet Union withdrew its