What was the position of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China on the topic of individualism?

Answer 1

The Chinese Communist Party made their version of the evils of "individualism" clear to other communist parties during the Sino-Soviet rift. In 1963, the party stated that they have always disapproved of exaggerating the role of the individual. Also, they stated that they persistently practiced democratic centralism within their party. The party asserted that the Soviet Union was defaming the proletarian party along with the Dictatorship of the proletariat. They accused the USSR of exaggerating the role of certain individuals. This was deemed to be aimed at Chairman Mao. Additionally they accused the USSR of perverting the teachings of Lenin on this topic. This statement by the Chinese Communist Party seems to clearly differ with the situation in China. If ever their was a cult of personality it would be a close race between Stalin and Mao Zedong.

In 1963 Nikita Khrushchev was still the leader of the USSR. He had exposed the cult of personality that Stalin had created for himself but did not directly accuse Chairman Mao of this, although it was clear by looking at various statements made by the Soviet Communist Party, they recognized this cult of personality that Chairman Mao Zedong had created for himself.

Answer 2

Although the position of the Chinese Communist Party has softened on this issue, as a result of the changes under Deng Xiaoping, the Party has generally regarded individualism as evil and corrosive. The Party saw the society as a single unit moving forward in harmony with one identity and one culture. Individualism leads to the fracturing of society into constituent parts and creates multiple identities.