Lin Piao -- On China's Relations with Foreign Countries - Page 2

Lenin pointed out: Imperialism means war, ". . . imperialist wars are absolutely inevitable under such an economic system as long as private property in the means of production exists." Lenin further pointed out: "Imperialist war is the eve of socialist revolution." These scientific theses of Lenin's are by no means out of date.

Chairman Mao has recently pointed out, "With regard to the question of world war, there are but two possibilities: One is that the war will give rise to revolution and the other is that revolution will prevent the war.

This is because there are four major contradictions in the world today: the contradiction between the oppressed nations on the one hand and imperialism and social-imperialism on the other; The contradiction between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie in the capitalist and revisionist countries; The contradiction between imperialist and social-imperialist countries and among the imperialist countries; and the contradiction between socialist countries on the one hand and imperialism and social-imperialism on the other. The existence and development of these contradictions are bound to give rise to revolution. According to the historical experience of World War I and World War II. It can be said with certainty that if the imperialists, revisionists and reactionaries should impose a third world war on the people of the world, it would only greatly accelerate the development of these contradictions and help arouse the people of the world to rise in revolution and send the whole pack of imperialists, revisionists and reactionaries to their grave.

Chairman Mao teaches us: "All reactionaries are paper tigers." "Strategically we should despise all our enemies, but basically we should take them all seriously." This great truth enunciated by Chairman Mao heightens the revolutionary militancy of the people of the whole world and guides us from victory to victory in the struggle against imperialism and all reaction.