On Practice

On Practice is a foundational philosophical essay written by Mao Zedong in 1937. It was created as an educational text to challenge dogmatism and sectarianism within the Chinese Communist Party. It remains one of the most studied theoretical texts in Marxist-Leninism.

The 1937 essay argues that human knowledge comes directly from social practice and must be continually tested through action and real-world experience. It posits that theory cannot exist independently of practical application. Mao insisted that true understanding requires active participation in changing reality.

Mao wrote the essay in July 1937 to combat dogmatic thinking and unrealistic military strategies that were plaguing the Chinese Communist Party at the time. He aimed to integrate abstract Marxist philosophy with the practical, agrarian realities of the Chinese revolution. The text was used as a lecture at the Anti-Japanese Military and Political College.

Yes, On Practice was written in 1937 as a companion piece to On Contradiction, which was written the following month. Both essays were part of Mao Zedong's effort to teach dialectical materialism to his cadres. Together, they form the core of what later became known as Mao Zedong Thought.