Why Self-Criticism is vital

“We have the Marxist-Leninist weapon of criticism and self-criticism. We can get rid of a bad style and keep the good.”¹ – Mao Zedong

Already Paul wrote: “Test all things; hold fast what is good.”² This idea, as we can see, goes very much along with what Mao said. It is a good principle to critically review practice and theoretical reflections, especially when it comes to oneself.

There are comrades who have a hard time exercising self-criticism, they have the feeling as if they would “show weakness” by admitting errors. Especially the history of the socialist countries has shown under the leadership of the revisionists, the capitalist roaders that betrayed the socialist cause, that self-criticism became non-existent. Due to this unsolved problems were piling up and the people therefore became displeased. Yet we are far from government responsibilities and still we cannot allow ourselves to have a lack of self-criticism. Why is that so? Because we will be unable to come that far with a wrong approach, with the approach of self-satisfaction. Self-criticism needs courage. Those who are self-loving cowards, those who behave like narcissists, are unable to admit their errors and therefore are unable to act according to facts.

Mao said:

“If we have shortcomings, we are not afraid to have them pointed out and criticized, because we serve the people. Anyone, no matter who, may point out our shortcomings. If he is right, we will correct them. If what he proposes will benefit the people, we will act upon it.”³

When we admit our errors and overcome them, are we getting stronger or do we get weakened by it? Of course we will become stronger, because we are “filling the gap” of our “boat”.

Lenin was talking about this matter in even more serious words:

“A political party’s attitude towards its own mistakes is one of the most important and surest ways of judging how earnest the party is and how it fulfils in practice its obligations towards its class and the working people. Frankly acknowledging a mistake, ascertaining the reasons for it, analysing the conditions that have led up to it, and thrashing out the means of its rectification—that is the hallmark of a serious party; that is how it should perform its duties, and how it should educate and train its class, and then the masses.”⁴

This means a party is only a serious one when it can self-criticize. And this is true! A party that cannot practice self-criticism is a childish one. How serious could a party that denies to commit errors be taken?

Lenin also made clear: “The people should be told the truth. Only then will their eyes be opened and they will learn to fight against untruth.”⁵ There is a German saying: “Lies have short legs.” When the people are only told lies for short-term benefits, in the long run they will anyways find out and not be able to fight against hostile propaganda.

Stalin said: “Without self-criticism there can be no proper education of the Party, the class, and the masses.”⁶ This is very true. Why? Because what are you telling the people when you don’t critically check up what you tell them? This is why self-criticism is not just important in regard to our practice, but also for the education of our cadres and the working people.

So: What do we have to be afraid about? Isn’t Marxism the theory of scientific socialism? It is! And therefore we need to seek the truth from facts⁷, like Mao taught us. He also said:

“The Communist Party does not fear criticism because we are Marxists, the truth is on our side, and the basic masses, the workers and peasants, are on our side.”⁸

We don’t have to fear criticism, only the blazing light of truth can bring us forwards and actually solve problems; only with the truth on our side can we win over the working people, the workers and peasants, to trust us and our cause.

Let us clean up with courage all mistakes to become a shiny role model for the working masses of Uganda!