Feb 27, 1957: Mao Zedong delivers a speech entitled "How to Handle Contradictions among the People"

Feb 27, 1957: Mao Zedong delivers a speech entitled "How to Handle Contradictions among the People"

On Feb 27, 1957, Mao Zedong delivered a speech entitled "How to Handle Contradictions among the People" at the 11th (enlarged) Session of the Supreme State Administration Conference.

The speech analyzed contradictions in the socialist society. He said the fundamental contradictions were between the forces and relations of production, and between the economic base and superstructure.

Mao said such contradictions can be solved through the adjustment of the socialist system itself. "There are two different types of contradictions in our socialist society, those between ourselves and the enemy and those among the people. The former needs to use methods of force and dictatorship, while the latter can only use methods of democracy, persuasion, education and unity-criticism-unity. The main task of the future is to correctly handle contradictions among the people, develop our economy and culture and build our new nation," he said.