The Formation of the Chinese Communist Party

摘要

This careful study rightly emphasizes the international aspects of the birth of the Chinese communist movement. Before the October revolution, Chinese intellectuals "did not even know of Marx and Engels" (p. 7). In the wake of May Fourth, they discovered the latters' works, along with Kautsky's, in Japanese translations, as well as in the writings of Japanese Socialists. About as essential as the role of Japan in the reception of Marxism was that of Russia and the Comintern in the organization of the first Marxist Study (or other) groups -more later on designations - that eventually coalesced into the CCP. After Japanese authorities clamped down on leftist activities, Chinese radicals turned to American and British sources. Japanese documents had taught them the rudiments of Marxism, English language texts provided an introduction to Leninism and the organization of a communist movement. All this happened in quick succession in the matter of two years (1919-21). The book adds a few glimpses of events in 1922, and concentrates on what a few dozen radical intellectuals translated, read, thought and did during those epochal years.