It has been decided to publish a second edition of “Looking Backward: Looking Forward.” Another word of explanation is called for.
Since writing this booklet I have become much more familiar with the thought of Mao Tse-tung. This thought is the highest development of Marxism-Leninism. As such it warrants our very closest attention and most careful integration with the concrete reality of Australia.
“Looking Backward: Looking Forward” deals with two particular problems characteristic of Australia. These two problems are trade union politics and parliamentary politics. They are indeed two very important problems. And their influence must be very vigorously combated.
The booklet dealt with them as part of the ideological preparation for the building of a Marxist-Leninist Party. The most brilliant and systematic exposition of the building of a Marxist-Leninist Party is to be found in the thought of Mao Tse-tung. His classics “Reform Our Study,” “Rectify the Party’s Style of Work,” “Oppose Stereotyped Party Writing,” really raise this question to the ideological plane Their essence, their lessons are directly applicable to Australia.
Mao Tse-tung’s brilliant essays “On Practice,” “On Contradiction,” contain a remarkable exposition of the very foundation of Marxism-Leninism. They are directly applicable to Australia. Indeed one may say that every word written by Mao Tse-tung, just as every word written by Lenin, warrants careful thought and action.
In this regard the little red book, “Quotations from Chairman Mao,” is of immense service to all revolutionary workers. It ought to be our constant companion.
Unfortunately the text of “Looking Backward: Looking Forward” insufficiently reflects the importance of the thought of Mao Tse-tung. Though I have made some alterations to the text, still I must use this opportunity to urge ever increasing study of the thought of Mao Tse-tung. I have added a chapter on this matter.
There is another specific error in “Looking Backward: Looking Forward” to which I must refer. This occurs in the text and in the foreword. It is correctly said, for example, in the foreword: “To embark upon the critically important task of breaking with the errors of the former Party ideologically, politically and organisationally, requires protracted struggle.” Then it is said: “To break politically is not so difficult for the disasters into which modern revisionism is leading the workers are not so difficult to see.” In retrospect, however, it must be said that the break politically is just as difficult and requires protracted struggle. What is really meant is that to free oneself from revisionism is a deep-going and continuous process. The acquisition of a Marxist-Leninist outlook requires protracted and continuous remoulding in the actual process of working class struggle.
E. F. HILL.
September, 1967.