Mao Zedong

The greatest danger is not to take the risk.

When we say 'imperialism is terrible,' we mean that its nature is terrible, but it is not terrible in appearance.

A single spark can start a prairie fire.

Our principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party.

We must despise the enemy strategically but take him seriously tactically.

The atom bomb is nothing to be afraid of. China has a population of 600 million people. Even if half of them are killed, there are still 300 million people left. The world is yours to conquer.

We must oppose all tendencies to overestimate ourselves and underestimate the enemy.

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.

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.

The world is yours, as well as ours, but in the last analysis, it is yours.

Reading is learning, but applying is also learning and the more important kind of learning at that.

There is no construction without destruction.

To read too many books is harmful.

The countryside must learn from the cities, and the cities must learn from the countryside.

We must not be afraid of ghosts. We must not be afraid of the United States imperialists. We must not be afraid of the atom bomb. We must not be afraid of anything. We must dare to fight and dare to win.

Let the United States and all the reactionaries abroad tremble! Let them say that we are no good and that we are 'totalitarians.' They are too stupid to see our strength. Their fear is useless. They know nothing of our invincible strength. The Chinese people have stood up!

In order to attack the forces of the counter-revolution, it is necessary to carry out a reign of terror.

With regard to the question of the extermination of the landlord class, some people ask: Is it not too cruel? We answer: No, it is not. The landlords are a parasitic class, they have exploited and oppressed the peasants for thousands of years. They are not human beings, they are monsters.

Going too far is as bad as not going far enough.

There is in the world no such thing as love without cause or hatred without cause.