Proletarians of all countries, unite!
Long live the 60th anniversary of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution!
In its May Day 2026 Declaration, the International Communist League has called for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the commencement of China’s Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution—led by Chairman Mao Tsetung—which "represents a historic milestone in the historical experience of the World Proletarian Revolution." The Declaration also specifies the content and significance of this celebration:
"Bombard the headquarters of revisionism!
Chairman Mao taught us that only by combating revisionism is it possible to develop the forces of the revolution. This is because, as we face new tasks of the world revolution, it is necessary to elevate the struggle between Marxism-Leninism-Maoism and revisionism in all its forms. Today, as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the GPCR, we must reaffirm our struggle against capitalist restoration in China, elevating our struggle against the revisionism of the bogus 'CPC.' Xi Jinping’s revisionism represents one of the principal variants of revisionism—one of the main dangers to the international proletarian movement and the national liberation movement—and must be fiercely combated on all fronts."
It further sets forth the following slogans: "Bombard the headquarters of revisionism! Long live Marxism-Leninism-Maoism! Long live the International Communist League! Down with imperialism! Long live People's War! Long live the 60th anniversary of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution!"
The MPP joins the call issued in the ICL’s May Day 2026 Declaration by publishing—in successive installments—selected excerpts from the materials of the Communist Party of Peru regarding the GPCR.
THE PERU PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT
May 2026
I
1. The historical significance of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution from a historical perspective, it is the most momentous undertaking of Chairman Mao's developments of Marxism-Leninism, the solution to the great pending problem of continuing the revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat. It "constitutes a broader and deeper new stage in the development of the socialist revolution in our country.
" What was the situation? As the Decision of the CPC concerning the GPCR put it: "Although the bourgeoisie has been overthrown, it is still trying to use the old ideas, culture, customs and habits of the exploiting classes to corrupt the masses, capture their minds and endeavor to stage a comeback. The proletariat must do the exact opposite: it must deal merciless blows and meet head-on every challenge of the bourgeoisie in the ideological field and use the new ideas, culture, customs and habits of the proletariat to change the mental outlook of the whole of society. At present, our objective is to struggle against and overthrow those persons in authority who are taking the capitalist road, to criticize and repudiate the reactionary bourgeois academic authorities' and the ideology of the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes and to transform education, literature and art and all other parts of the superstructure not in correspondence with the socialist economic base, so as to facilitate the consolidation and development of the socialist system."
It was under these conditions that the most earthshaking political event and the largest mass mobilization the Earth has ever seen took place. This is how Chairman Mao defined its objectives: "The current Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution is absolutely necessary and most timely for consolidating the dictatorship of the proletariat, preventing capitalist restoration and building socialism."
We would further emphasize two other questions: 1) the GPCR marked a milestone in the development of the dictatorship of the proletariat towards consolidating the proletariat's political power, concretized in the Revolutionary Committees; and 2) the restoration of capitalism in China
following the 1976 counterrevolutionary coup does not negate the GPCR but rather formed part of the contention between restoration and counter- restoration, and in fact, it points to the crucial historic importance of the GPCR in humanity's inexorable march towards communism. ( (Excerpt from „Fundamental Documents: On Marxism-Leninism-Maoism“, 1st Congress of the PCP, 1988)
2. Comments by President Gonzalo:
The Chinese revolution has demonstrated the necessity of the Cultural Revolution, that the revolution demanded resolute struggle but was necessary to continue the revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat. Obviously, the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution is an epic chant of the revolution in the world, a milestone of victory for the communists and revolutionaries worldwide, an indelible fact. Although it is a process we must face, this revolution has left us great lessons that we already apply, such as the need to change ideology as a fundamental step for the class to seize Power; today, generating an ideological leap to
conquer Power. (Chairman Gonzalo’s intervention in a meeting of leaders and cadres on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, September 30, 1989)
The Proletarian Cultural Revolution is not on the order of the day; what is on the order of the day is the problem of defining our ideology—whether it is Maoism or something else entirely. Also on the order of the day is the democratic revolution—the socialist revolution, yes, but primarily the democratic one, given the historical weight of the masses. That is why we say: "from a historical perspective, it is the most momentous undertaking." Has it already been accomplished? Of course; yet it is not something we require at this precise moment. Today, we already possess—we already know—what must be done when the opportunity for it finally arrives.
"It constitutes the solution to the great pending problem of continuing the revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat." Yes, that pending problem has indeed been resolved; for had it remained unresolved, we would have stood defenseless in the face of a peaceful restoration. Years earlier, the Chairman had already told us: "We know how to seize power by force of arms—and no one can strip it from us by force of arms—but we do not yet know how to ward off a restoration; we do not know how to prevent capitalism from reasserting its dominance, or from usurping the leadership of the Party. That, we do not yet know." Well, now we do know; he has resolved it. This does not, however, exempt us from having to contend with periods of restoration and counter-restoration. Let us hope that the historical perspective allows us to ward it off once and for all—and this is indeed feasible. For if we trace our trajectory back to the 1970s—to '70 or '71—we have already accumulated over a century of experience; thus, the power of the class must now take root—and it *will* take root. In the coming decades, it will firmly establish itself; and that, too, is an integral part of our work. But the matter is now resolved, comrades; the path for the continuation of the revolution has been secured—and that constitutes a new problem, one of momentous historical significance.
"It represents a new stage—one even deeper and broader in scope—in the development of the socialist revolution in our country." Such were the Chairman's words: "a new stage—deeper and broader—in the development of the socialist revolution in our country."
We have deemed that citing the specific text of the Decision serves to articulate, with the utmost clarity, the very objectives that the Cultural Revolution sought to achieve. That is why we have transcribed the resolution of the Communist Party of China; I believe it is concrete, and they knew very well what it was about. It is excellent that it is included there.
We maintain that two issues must be considered: "1) that the GPCR constitutes a milestone in the development of the dictatorship of the proletariat toward the consolidation of the proletariat in power." What was its concrete manifestation? Revolutionary Committees. Indeed, it represents a development—a method for further unfolding and advancing the dictatorship of the proletariat—for during the Proletarian Cultural Revolution, the establishment of a Commune was not on the agenda. This stands in contrast to the view held by Avakian, who asserts that the Chairman prevented Chang Chung-chiao from bringing the Commune into reality; such a claim amounts to slandering Chairman Mao Zedong. An attempt was made to establish a People's Commune in Shanghai during the 1950s—and it was, in fact, established—but it did not last; it failed because the time was not yet ripe. During the Proletarian Cultural Revolution, the same issue arose once again in Shanghai: Comrade Chang Chung-chiao—and, in my view, this constitutes no discredit to him, for while he is not Chairman Mao Zedong, this fact does not diminish his stature as a great revolutionary, nor does it negate the honor he earned by never bending the knee—along with Wuan jung-wen, proposed the establishment of a Commune. However, the conditions for a Commune were not yet ripe; specifically, the key unresolved issue was the question of how the Party was to exercise leadership.
In early 1967, the "January Storm" erupted in Shanghai. The working class mobilized, while reactionary forces attempted to paralyze this great industrial hub of China—and sever its communications—in an effort to provoke a backlash among the people of Shanghai. (Bear in mind that we are speaking of a city that, at the time, had 13 million inhabitants—quite a "small" city!) It was there that the working class—led by communists—rose up in rebellion; they seized power, overthrew the usurpers, and established a new governing authority. The issue that subsequently arose was that the comrades in Shanghai proposed the formation of a "Commune." Chairman Mao opposed this—the Commune model had, in fact, already been attempted in Shanghai during the 1950s and had proven impracticable; it simply could not be successfully implemented. The Chairman argued that the Commune model was inappropriate for the moment—that it required a more advanced stage of development. The central issue he raised regarding the Commune was that of Party leadership—mark this well: *Party leadership*. He argued that the challenge was not merely to mobilize the vast millions of the masses—the true makers of history, which is all well and good—but that such mobilization required political leadership. Without that political leadership provided by the Party, the long-term transformation toward communism—under the dictatorship of the proletariat—could not be sustained, precisely as Marx himself had envisioned (as outlined in the *Critique of the Gotha Programme*—the concept was already established by Marx). Consequently, the Chairman maintained that what needed to be established were "Revolutionary Committees of Triple Intergration." What did this entail? First, outstanding revolutionary representatives of the masses, tempered in the crucible of that struggle; and second, members of the army—which had been called upon to support what was by then beginning to be termed the "Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution" (it was initially referred to simply as the "Cultural Revolution," and later as the "Socialist Cultural Revolution," but the name that ultimately prevailed throughout this process was the GPCR, specifically to underscore its proletarian character). Thus, a monumental step was taken in the recapture of state power.
This entire process spanned several years—years that witnessed the most powerful mass movement in history to be politically directed by a Communist Party. Never, until today, has such a mobilization been witnessed—nor such a capacity for organization and leadership. Thus, a great stride is taken in the recapture of Power. (Excerpts from President Gonzalo’s address at the I Congress of the PCP)
3. PRESIDENT MAO ON THE GOAL OF THE GPCR
In his remarks during the visit of the Albanian military delegation on May 1, 1967—which first appeared in an unofficial Red Guard publication during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution—President Mao Zedong addressed those in attendance, stating:
Now I would like to ask you a question: What would you say is the goal of the Great Cultural Revolution? (Someone answered on the spot: It is to struggle against power holders within the party who take the capitalist road.) To struggle against power holders who take the capitalist road is the main task, but it is by no means the goal. The goal is to solve the problem of world outlook: it is the question of eradicating the roots of revisionism.
The Central Committee has emphasized time and again that the masses must educate themselves and liberate themselves. This is because world outlook cannot be imposed on them. In order to transform ideology, it is necessary for the external causes to function through inner causes, though the latter are principal. If the world outlook is not transformed, how can the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution be called a victory? If the world outlook is not transformed, then although there are 2,000 power holders taking the capitalist road in this Great Cultural Revolution, there may be 4,000 next time. The cost of this Great Cultural Revolution has been very great, and even though the question of the struggle between the two classes and the two roads cannot be resolved by one, two, three or four Great Cultural Revolutions, still, this Great Cultural Revolution, should consolidate things for a decade at least. In the course of one century, it may be possible to launch such a revolution two or three times at most. Thus we must focus our attention on eradicating the roots of revisionism in order to strengthen our ability to guard against and oppose revisionism at any time.
In another post, we will look at the history of the GRCP.
