Mao Zedong

Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.

A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.

The atom bomb is a paper tiger which the U.S. reactionaries use to scare people. It looks terrible, but in fact it isn't. Of course, the atom bomb is a weapon of mass slaughter, but the outcome of a war is decided by the people, not by one or two new types of weapon.

All reactionaries are paper tigers.

Women hold up half the sky.

The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.

We should support whatever the enemy opposes and oppose whatever the enemy supports.

To be attacked by the enemy is not a bad thing but a good thing.

Learn from the masses, and then teach them.

Every Communist must grasp the truth, 'Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.'

The world is yours, as well as ours, but in the last analysis, it is yours. You young people, full of vigor and vitality, are in the bloom of life, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning. Our hope is placed on you.

If we have a correct theory but merely prate about it, pigeonhole it and do not put it into practice, then that theory, however good, is of no significance.

In times of difficulty we must not lose sight of our achievements, must see the bright future and must pluck up our courage.

Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy.

Let us be realistic. The atom bomb is a paper tiger. The United States is a paper tiger. All reactionaries are paper tigers.

There is no construction without destruction. There is no flowing without damming and no motion without rest.

Man has a few dozen bones, but he has 84,000 thoughts.

Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive.

The advanced people are like a general, and the backward people are like a soldier. The general must be brave and resolute, and the soldier must be loyal and obedient.

The United States is a paper tiger. Don't be afraid of it. It looks terrible, but in fact it isn't. Of course, the atom bomb is a weapon of mass slaughter, but the outcome of a war is decided by the people, not by one or two new types of weapon.