All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party.
Mao ZedongWhen the enemy advances, withdraw; when he stops, harass; when he tires, strike; when he retreats, pursue.
Mao ZedongThose experienced in work must take up the study of theory and must read seriously; only then will they be able to systematize and synthesize their experience and raise it to the level of theory, only then will they not mistake their partial experience for universal truth and not commit empiricist errors.
Mao ZedongThe state machine, including the army, the police and the courts, is the instrument with which one class oppresses another. It is an instrument of oppression against all hostile classes; it means violence and is certainly not anything 'benevolent.' 'You are merciless.' Quite so. We definitely do not adopt a benevolent policy towards the reactionary activities of the reactionaries and the reactionary classes.
Mao Zedong