I see many different interpretations about this.

But what did Deng Xiaoping in fact mean with this quote?

  • You say this as if Deng conspired behind the backs of the people to betray the revolution instead of the people themselves conducting land reform experiments during a time of stagnation and dogma all to insure their own survival and build an opportunity for prosperity. Deng and the Party defended the people from dogmatists and provided China with an opportunity to not only continue the socialist construction project but also to face off against its own dogmas that fed stagnation.