A Speech made by Mao Zedong to students of an elementary school; 1966
Good morning, fellow students. I have called for this important meeting, to speak to everyone about the essence of the revolution, and our communist ideologies.

Simply said, you children, are China’s future. You are the seeds that will grow, and bloom into beautiful flowers. You are China’s hope to create a strong and successful country. We are counting on you.

As China’s future, you must also have communist beliefs. I, and my colleagues, are willing to take full responsibility for instilling within you our communists beliefs. As communists, we believe all are equal. All wealth should be dispersed equally, all land should be dispersed equally, all food should be dispersed equally. No one should be smarter than another, no one should be richer than another, we should all be equals. The whole point of this revolution is to rid the country of any hierarchy. Hierarchy will only lead to tyranny. So, through this revolution, we will purify China and create equality.

You should all fully understand, this revolution is especially important for you. You are China’s future, therefore, you get to benefit from the success of the revolution. Pretend you are planting a tree. You work very hard for it to survive. You water it every day; feed it fertilizer. All for what? For it to grow into a big tree, of course. It will eventually grow nice and tall, a thick trunk and lush, green leaves. Then, you will be able to enjoy the shade and scenery this tree has created. My point is, you must work for the revolution as you would work for this tree. Because, after all, you are the ones who will enjoy the benefits of this revolution. You are young, you will survive to see the end of the revolution, and the success that it will bring China. I am old; my colleagues are old. We are not fighting for us; we are fighting for you. And you must fight for yourself. You are the ones who will see the positive effects of our revolution, as you would be the ones to enjoy the shade and scenery of the leaves.

I am formally requesting everyone, as students, to enforce my belief that all bourgeois and intelligence is anti-communist. It is your duty, as the future of China, to destroy all foreign goods, intellectual objects, and ideas. Destroy the four olds and establish the four news. This is for the sake of your future. This revolution is for you.            

You are our future. No matter if you come from a poor family, a rich family, you are all the same communists. You can all still be educated with communist ideologies. You are educable children.


You are to no longer return to school, for they have not been teaching you our communist ideas. You are to live up to our communist standards. Believe in our communist ideas. Attack bourgeois and intellect. Even if you come from a black family, you are a new person. Remember, you are an educable child.

Our country is at stake. Our future is in your hands. Your own future is in your hands. Be proud communists. Help our country thrive. Remember, do anything for your mother land! 

(Jessica Luo)