Mao Zedong emphasized these work concepts and methods as advocates and practitioners of investigation and research | China | Emphasis

Why is investigation and research important? The key lies in seeking truth from facts, being close to reality, and being close to the people. Starting with research and opening with research reflects the determination and perseverance of our party to adhere to the party's ideological line and working methods as always on the new journey.

In the history of our party, Comrade Mao Zedong was an advocate for investigation and research, as well as an active practitioner. Whether in his youth or during revolutionary and construction periods, he regarded investigation and research as the foundation and prerequisite for researching problems, overcoming difficulties, and doing a good job.

Comrade Mao Zedong's article "Analysis of Various Classes in Chinese Society" is a model for in-depth and meticulous investigation and research. His reports on the investigation of the Hunan Peasant Movement, opposition to essentialism, and transformation of our learning further emphasize the importance of investigation and research, forming the ideological conclusion of investigation and research, and proposing the ideological and working methods for conducting investigation and research.

Regarding investigation and research, Comrade Mao Zedong repeatedly emphasized, "Without investigation, there is no right to speak, and without correct investigation, there is also no right to speak." The reason why he was able to combine the universal truth of Marxism with China's specific reality is that he focused on investigation and research, understood China's national conditions from multiple perspectives, analyzed specific situations, opposed dogmatic copying of Marxism, and thus promoted the sinicization of Marxism.

Specifically, Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized the following points in his long-term investigation and research practice:

Firstly, a strong sense of problem awareness.

Investigation and research should be problem-solving oriented, and through detailed and accurate on-site investigations, the crux of the problem should be identified, in order to form research and problem-solving methods.

In "Analysis of Various Classes in Chinese Society," Comrade Mao Zedong conducted research and reflection with questions, analyzing in detail the characteristics and essence of various classes in China, and focusing on answering the major principle question of "who are our enemies and who are our friends.".

In his book "Opposing Capitalism," Comrade Mao Zedong clearly pointed out the purpose of investigation and research: investigation is to solve problems. All conclusions arise at the end of the investigation, not at its beginning. In Comrade Mao Zedong's view, investigation and research are a good medicine for overcoming subjectivism and metaphysics.

Secondly, clarify the research subjects and achieve targeted goals.

From 1926 to 1927, the peasant movement was carried out like a storm in the countryside of China. There were various controversies over this new revolutionary movement. So, in January and February 1927, Comrade Mao Zedong conducted investigations in Xiangtan, Xiangxiang, Hengshan, Liling, and Changsha counties, obtained a large amount of first-hand materials, and wrote the "Hunan Peasant Movement Inspection Report", responding to the long-standing issues of whether the peasant movement was "very bad or very good" at that time.

The Hunan District Committee of the Communist Party of China submitted a report on the January Peasant Movement in Hunan District to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China based on Comrade Mao Zedong's inspection report. This laid the foundation for the policy shift of the Communist Party of China in establishing revolutionary base areas and peasant armed forces in rural areas.

Thirdly, combining investigation with research.

Comrade Mao Zedong wrote a critical work on dogmatism called "Oppose Benvism" during his investigation into the Xunwu region. The article sharply criticizes that when discussing issues within the party, some people keep their mouths shut and blindly follow the instructions of their superiors by saying "take the original copy".

Comrade Mao Zedong believed that the best way to overcome essentialism was to combine investigation with research, find the causes of problems through investigation, and then find solutions to problems through research.

In "Transforming Our Learning," Comrade Mao Zedong requested to draw regularity from practice and correct conclusions from theoretical materials. The thinking method he has always advocated is to extract the essence from the rough and preserve the truth, to see the essence through complex phenomena, and to grasp the laws of the development of things.

Fourthly, conduct in-depth investigation meetings at the grassroots level.

Conducting surveys and research requires looking downwards and being a primary school student. In the preface and postscript of "Rural Investigation", Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized the importance of holding an investigation meeting, believing that hearsay and looking around cannot obtain complete knowledge, and that "holding an investigation meeting is the simplest, easiest, and most faithful and reliable method.".

Comrade Mao Zedong believed that when holding an investigation meeting, the correct participants should also be selected, and more attention should be paid to inviting grassroots cadres, the masses, and the general public to participate in the meeting. Only in this way can we obtain true investigation results.

Fifthly, make investigation and research a long-term and persistent work method.

In 1941, Comrade Mao Zedong drafted the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Investigation and Research" in Yan'an, proposing to make investigation and research a long-term and persistent work method.

In fact, young Mao Zedong once formed a study tour group with his classmates, traveling throughout Hunan and visiting people from all walks of life to conduct investigations and research. In daily life, he pays special attention to understanding the subtle and seeing the essence through phenomena.

In the practice of building a new China, Comrade Mao Zedong repeatedly urged leading cadres to conduct investigations and research in person, understand practical problems, and mobilize the enthusiasm of the masses for work. The famous "On the Ten Major Relationships" is a comprehensive and strategic report formed on the basis of thorough investigation and research.

Comrade Mao Zedong's important thoughts and methods on investigation and research have enlightening significance in various aspects for the correct conduct of investigation and research today, and for the role of opening the way and starting the research.

One is to adhere to the principle of seeking truth from facts, making investigation and research a fundamental skill in doing all work well, and making "without investigation and research, there is no right to speak" an important working principle and system.

The second is to adhere to the principle of seeking truth and pragmatism, and effectively regard investigation and research as the fundamental work to promote democratic and scientific decision-making, in order to prevent "brainwashing decision-making" and "reckless behavior".

The third is to adhere to a problem oriented approach, effectively using investigation and research as a navigator and measuring rod to solve difficult problems and promote development, observing the truth, exploring laws, persisting, and not ending until the goal is achieved.

The fourth is to adhere to dialectical thinking, effectively using investigation and research as a path and means to observe and think about problems using dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and to dynamically, systematically, and comprehensively understand, analyze, and study problems.

With the rapid development of information technology, although Internet survey and big data analysis have provided new technologies and platform support to effectively reduce the cost of research and collect data covering more age, occupation and identity groups across time and space constraints, as far as the thinking methods and working methods advocated by our party are concerned, Comrade Mao Zedong's research ideas and methods are not outdated. Instead, by combining with new technologies, we can form a more diversified and scientific survey tools and a more suitable method system for the development needs of the new era.