A Comparative Study Of National Security Thoughts Between Mao Zedong And Deng Xiaoping

As an objective social existence, national security is an old and fresh historical topic. Nomatter in the war or during the peace period, all the countries in the world attach importanceto the study of national security. However, in China, a systematic theoretical study of thisproblem is still at the infant stage. As an indispensable theory in Chinese Communist Partyhistory and political theory, more research should be done on it. This thesis focuses on Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping's world outlook andmethodology to seek truth from facts, emancipate the mind, and catch up with the times,making a comparative study of Mao's thought and Deng's theory; probes into Mao andDeng's efforts on the central theme, that is, national security is the basis and premise of anation's existence and development; then generalizes the elementary content of Mao andDeng's national security thoughts respectively. The first generation leading group led by Mao Zedong regarded military security as thecore of national security. This reflects the traditional security thought, which mainly involvesmaintaining independence and keeping the initiative, self-reliance, maintaining nationalsovereignty, developing powerful defense capability, defending the new regime, restoring anddeveloping national economy, strengthening moral education, fighting against "peacefulevolution", solving the problems concerning Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to unify thecountry. It is obvious that this traditional thought bears the typical characteristics of miseryand military. Under the guidance of Mao's security thought, the new China guarded its ownsovereignty, established socialist system, restored the member in U.N., and played animportant role in the international affairs. The second generation leading group led by Deng thinks of synthetic security as the coreof national security thought, which comprises the thought of putting state security on the firstplace, persisting in development, stability overwhelming everything, reinforcing people'sdomestic regime, building up the modernized regular army, insisting on sovereignty peacefuldiplomatic policy, strengthening the governing party's establishment, opposing "peacefulevolution", carrying out "one nation two systems" to unify the country. It is evident that thisthought bears the typical developing and synthetic features. Under the guidance of Deng'snew era's security thought, China's comprehensive national power has been on the risequickly; national status has been improved and China has been moving towardsmultipolarization. After the careful comparative study of Mao and Deng's national security thoughts, it isnot difficult to find out the following similarities: Both of them believe that the highest normsof national security is to maintain state sovereignty and benefits; the basic principle is topersist in self-reliance and peaceful coexistence; the material base is to develop economy andstrengthen comprehensive national power; the important premise is to reinforce armyconstruction and modernize national defense; the external surrounding is to maintaininternational peace and security; the critical point consists in insisting on Communist Party'sleadership. The differences mainly lie in such five parts as the historical period, specialemphasis, accomplishing ways, diplomatic strategies, and the approaches of deterringevolution. In conclusion, national security thought constitutes the most important component part inMao and Deng's theory. We should stick to and keep the two great national security problemsunder control. Therefore, Mao and Deng's security thoughts sound a warning for maintainingsocialist country's security and urge us to create a sense of national security in the new era.