Gregor Benton and Yang Yang
Editors / Translators: Gregor Benton and Yang Yang
With an introduction by Gregor Benton.
The Longest Night tells the story of Chinese Trotskyism in its later years, including after Mao Zedong’s capture of Beijing in 1949. It treats the three ages of Chinese Trotskyism: the founding generation around Chen Duxiu, Zheng Chaolin, Wang Fanxi, and Peng Shuzhi, who joined the Opposition after their expulsion from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); the first generation of those who (after 1931) did not first pass through the ranks of the CCP before becoming Trotskyists; and those who became Trotskyists after 1949, mainly in Hong Kong and the diaspora.
Biographical Note
Gregor Benton is emeritus professor of Chinese history at Cardiff University. His many books include Mountain Fires: The Red Army’s Three-Year War in South China (1992), honoured by the University of California Press as a special book in Asian Studies and by the Association of Asian Studies as Best Book on Modern China. His most recent book is Chinese Indentured Labour in the Dutch East Indies (Palgrave 2023).
Yang Yang is a visiting researcher at the University of York. In 2018, he completed his PhD at the University of Essex. His thesis explores the Trotskyist movement in China and Hong Kong. He cooperated in the project to translate Zheng Chaolin, Selected Writings, 1942-1998 (Brill 2023) into English.
Readership
Scholars and students in the field of East Asian Studies, and social movement activists
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements xvii
Abbreviations xviii
Introduction 1
Gregor Benton
Part 1
The Fourth International and Chinese Trotskyist Organisations
Section a
The Fourth International and Chinese Trotskyism, 1949–1979
Documents Sent to the usfi by Wang Fanxi and Lou Guohua (1973) 66
Wang Fanxi and Lou Guohua
(a) Our Statement – To Be Submitted to the 10th Congress of the fi 66
(b) A Preliminary Proposal for the Formation of a “Preparatory Committee”
for the Re-building of the Chinese Section of the Fourth
International 68
(c) It Is Still Necessary to Draw Lessons from the Failure of Chinese T’s 70
A Letter from Wang Fanxi to the Leadership of the usfi (1975) 80
Wang Fanxi
Concerns regarding the Released Chinese Trotskyists (1979) 85
(a) Chinese Trotskyists Released 85
Chinese Trotskyists Overseas
(b) Statement by the 11th World Congress of the fi on the Release of the
Chinese Trotskyists 87
A Comment on the Chinese Trotskyist Movement in the 1970s and the Wu
Zhongxian (Ng Chung Yin) Affair (2024) 88
Pierre Rousset
Chinese Trotskyists in Exile, Contacts with the Fourth International, and
Efforts to Achieve Organisational Unification, 1949–1978 (2022) 91
Yang Yang
Section b
Trotskyist Organisations Starting in the 1950s
Discussions on the Nature of the Chinese Revolution Led by the ccp Raised
by Members of the rcp in the Early 1950s (1951) 114
(a) The Third Chinese Revolution and the Tasks of the Revolutionary
Communist Party 114
Editors of the rcp’s Organ
(b) Why Is This Civil War Called a Revolution and the Importance of This
Recognition? – A Point of Departure for the Re-appraisal of the Chinese
Events 126
Maki [Xiang Qing]
A Letter from the rcp’s Leadership to the usfi (1974) 137
Provisional National Committee of the rcp
A Proposal for the Fusion of All Trotskyists in Hong Kong Area, a Joint
Proposal Submitted by Wang Fanxi and Lou Guohua to the usfi (1975) 142
Wang Fanxi and Lou Guohua
Why We Want Unification with the Revolutionary Marxist League
(1978) 144
Unity Faction of the rcp
Principles of Organisation (1979) 147
Gu He [Lou Guohua], ed.
(a) How to Understand the Organisational Question? 147
Lian’gen [Wang Fanxi] and Gu He
(b) Views on the Solidarity Movement of Trotskyists Abroad 154
Lian’gen and Gu He
(c) Ou [Peng Shuzhi], Yun [Chen Bilan], and Their Idea of
Organisation 159
Gu He
(d) A Brief Comment on Organisational Principles and Methods 160
Lian’gen
(e) Letter to the Seven Members of the Provisional Committee 163
Lian’gen, Gu He, Bo Chen [Sun Liangsi], and Wang Guoquan
The Radical 70’s Biweekly Magazine That Shaped the Hong Kong Left
(2020) 168
Promise Li
Trotskyism and the Early Pro-democracy Movement in Hong Kong, 1979–99
(2022) 177
Promise Li
The Postwar Generations of Hong Kong Trotskyists and Local Social
Movements (2022) 201
Au Loong-yu
Section c
Trotskyists on Hong Kong’s Future, 1973–1984
My Position on Hong Kong (1973) 218
Wang Fanxi
Radical Alternatives in the Hong Kong Crisis (1983) 224
Gregor Benton
A Revolutionary Socialist Approach to the Solution of the Hong Kong
Problem (1983) 235
Wang Fanxi and Lou Guohua
On the Question of Hong Kong People (Especially Those with British
Nationality) Staying or Leaving – Our Attitude (1984) 239
Shuang Shan [Wang Fanxi]
Section d
The Wu Zhongxian Case
What Should a Revolutionary Do When Arrested? (1981) 246
Wang Fanxi
Public Statement concerning My Illegal Arrest by the Chinese Government
(1981) 255
Ng Chung-yin [Wu Zhongxian]
The rcp’s Position on Wu Zhongxian’s “Fake Surrender” (1981) 261
Report on the Wu Affair (1981) 261
Lee See
Appendix: A Protest Letter against the rcp’s Report on the Wu Affair
from Roman [Pierre Rousset] 269
A Letter from the USec Bureau to rml regarding the Wu [Ng] Zhongxian
Affair (1981) 272
Report on Hong Kong, International Executive Committee (iec) of the Fourth
International (usfi) (1982) 276
Roman [Pierre Rousset]
A Letter from Roman [Pierre Rousset] to the rml (Revolutionary Marxist
League) in Hong Kong (1981) 282
Pierre Rousset
A Letter from Pierre Rousset to Wu Zhongxian (1981) 284
Pierre Rousset
Section e
Trotskyist Activities in Wenzhou and Elsewhere, 1941–1952
A Short History of the Wenzhou Trotskyist Groups, 1941–1946 (2001) 292
Zhou Rensheng
Overview of Local Trotskyist Activities and Our Preliminary Suggestions on
Handling the Wenzhou Trotskyists Submitted by the Wenzhou Regional
Committee of the ccp (1952) 299
Wenzhou Regional Committee of the ccp
Summary Report regarding Anti-Trotskyist Work in Wenzhou, Work
Committee for the Round-up of the Trotskyists (1953) 308
A Report Submitted by the Ministry of Public Security regarding the Roundup
of Trotskyists and Asking for Further Instructions from the Central
Government (1953) 316
Introduction to the Situation of the Chinese Trotskyite Bandits (1954) 323
The Destruction of the Wenzhou Trotskyists, 1949–1952 (2014) 334
Xu Wuzhi
Section f
Trotskyism in Taiwan
Our Views on the Taiwan Revolution (Outline for Discussion) (1977) 352
Wang Fanxi
Trotskyism and Taiwan (2022) 365
Cheng Ling-fang
Section g
Chinese Trotskyists in the UK
Our Proposal for the Unification of Hong Kong’s Revolutionary Marxist
Movement (1978) 390
The Re-awakening Group
A Conversation between Jabez Lam and Zhang Shaoming
“Remembering Genshu [Wang Fanxi] and Events in the Chinese Community in
the UK” (2022) 392
Jabez Lam and Zhang Shaoming
Part 2
Selected Writings by Chinese and Other Trotskyists regarding
China
Section a
Frank Glass (Li Furen) and Chinese Trotskyism
Frank Glass’s Selected Articles Written for the Trotskyist Press between the
Late 1930s and the Early 1950s 418
Edited by Yang Yang
(a) Frank Glass: Obituary 419
Baruch Hirson and Prometheus Research Library, New York
(b) New Stalinist Frame-up Hits China “Trotskyists”: Chinese
Bolshevik-Leninist Exposes Lies in Daily Worker Dispatch (1937) 428
Li Fu-jen [Frank Glass]
(c) The Communist League of China (1940) 430
Frank Glass
(d) Memory of Trotsky (1940) 437
Li Fu-jen
(e) American Intervention in China: Resolution Adopted by the Executive
Committee of the Fourth International (1941) 440
(f) Chen Duxiu: Chinese Revolutionist (1942) 444
Li Fu-jen
(g) In Memoriam: Chen Qichang (1946) 451
Li Fu-jen
(h) The Kuomintang Faces Its Doom (1949) 452
Li Fu-jen
(i) China: A World Power (1951) 465
Li Fu-jen
Section b
Livio Maitan on Maoism and China
The Sino-Soviet Conflict and the Crisis of the International Communist
Movement (1965) 480
Livio Maitan
Report on the “Cultural Revolution” in China (1969) 505
Livio Maitan
The Social Nature of China (1976) 526
Livio Maitan
Section c
Peng Shuzhi and Chen Bilan
An Interview with Chen Bilan on the Cultural Revolution (1967) 540
Return to the Road of Trotskyism (1969) 555
Peng Shuzhi
Two Purged Leaders of Early Chinese Communism (1985) 567
Gregor Benton
Remembering Peng Shuzhi (2022) 587
Leslie Evans
Section d
Wang Fanxi on Bureaucratic Collectivism and Max Shachtman’s
Commentary and Response, 1950–1953
Introduction 610
Walter Daum
The Stalinist State in China: The Social Meaning of Mao Zedong’s Victory
(1950) 618
Wang Fanxi
Correspondence between Wang Fanxi and Max Shachtman, 1951–1953 631
(a) Letter from Wang Fanxi [M.Y. Wang] to Max Shachtman (1951) 631
(b) Letter from Shachtman to Wang (1952) 632
(c) Letter from Shachtman to Wang (1953) 635
Section e
Wang Fanxi and Zheng Chaolin’s Selected Writings on Marxism
and Trotskyism
On the Twentieth Anniversary of the Transitional Programme (1957) 640
S.Y. Wang [Wang Fanxi]
The Crisis of Marxism (1985) 661
Zheng Chaolin
A Selection from Wang Fanxi’s Diary, 1989–1993 688
Statement on the Tian’anmen Massacre of June 1989 709
Wang Fanxi
Part 3
Memoirs and Recollections
section a
Jiang Junyang
An Intransigent Man: In Memory of My Old Comrade Jiang Junyang
(1921–2006) and Our Thirty Years in Prison (2006) 717
Li Yongjue
Section b
Liu Pingmei
The Chinese Trotskyists at Risk, 1946–1952: The Communist Army Defeats the
Kuomintang, the Trotskyist Centre Misjudges the Situation (2005) 723
Liu Pingmei
Forever Persevering: A Tribute to Liu Pingmei (2008) 734
Duan Yue
Section c
Sun Liangsi
Memoirs, 1918–1948 (1986) 745
Sun Liangsi
A Comment on a Book by Bo Chen [Sun Liangsi] (2011) 841
Xu Dingming
Remembering Uncle Tai Leung [Da Liang, Leon, Sun Liangsi] (2022) 842
Tang Yuen Ching
Section d
Wang Fanxi
Remembering Wang Fanxi (2007, 2009) 847
Wang Yanqi
Remembering My Father Wang Fanxi 847
Fenggang 850
Remembering Wang Fanxi (2022) 853
Lau Shan-ching
Remembering Mr Wang Fanxi, “Uncle Gen” (2022) 856
Tang Yuen Ching
Section e
Xiong Andong
Memoirs (2006) 861
Xiong Andong
Tributes to Trotskyist Comrades (2007, 2014) 965
Xiong Andong
Remembering Liu Pingmei 965
A Tribute to Chen Daotong 967
Section f
Yin Kuan
Remembering Yin Kuan (1983) 971
Zheng Chaolin
Section g
Zheng Chaolin
Remembering Zheng Lao [Zheng Chaolin] (2007) 987
Li Yongjue
An Account of Some Events Surrounding Zheng Chaolin’s Death and
Funeral 993
Zheng Hiu-fong
Part 4
Correspondence and Interviews
Section a
Correspondence between Veteran Chinese Trotskyists, Comrades,
and Friends
Correspondence between Eiichi Yamanishi and Wang Fanxi,
1960–1967 1003
(a) From Yamanishi to Wang (1960) 1003
(b) From Wang to Yamanishi (1961) 1006
(c) From Wang to Yamanishi (1966) 1009
(d) From Yamanishi to Wang (1967) 1010
Two Letters to the Leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, Asking for
the Rehabilitation of the Trotskyists (1980, 1982) 1011
Zheng Chaolin
Preface: Wang Fanxi’s Letter to the Bureau of the usfi (1983) 1011
First Letter (1980) 1013
Second Letter (1982) 1015
Correspondence between Wang Fanxi and Zheng Chaolin concerning Zheng’s
Huilongwu Daifanglu (1986) 1020
(a) Letter to Zheng Chaolin 1020
Wang Fanxi
(b) Letter to Wang Fanxi 1029
Zheng Chaolin
Correspondence between Zheng Chaolin and Wang Fanxi on “Late
Capitalism” (1990, 1992) 1034
(a) A Letter to Wang Fanxi (1990) 1034
Zheng Chaolin
(b) A Reply to Zheng Chaolin (1992) 1036
Wang Fanxi
Zheng Chaolin’s Letters to Friends, 1989–1998 1040
Zheng Chaolin
(a) To Huang Wen (1991) 1040
(b) To Mr Qian Bocheng (1997) 1041
(c) To Brother Qun (1997) 1042
(d) Eight Letters to Fan Yong, 1989–1998 1044
Correspondence between Chinese Intellectuals and Wang Fanxi (1990,
2000) 1052
(a) Letters between Liu Binyan and Wang Fanxi (1990) 1052
(b) Letters between Gao Fang and Wang Fanxi (2000, 2001) 1058
Section b
Interviews
Interview with Hu Luoqing, 3 June 2011 1064
Louisa Wei
Interview with John Shum, 8 June 2011 1073
Louisa Wei
Interview with Xiang Qing, 17 August 2014, regarding the Hong Kong
Trotskyists 1081
Yang Yang
Interview with Long Hair, 27 October 2015 1097
Yang Yang
Part 5
Epilogue: Revolutionary Socialist Writings in China and the
Diaspora in the 2020s
Introduction 1107
Au Loong-yu
Courage at Sitong Bridge: The Call for Mass Action in China (2022) 1113
Ruo Yan
One-Man Show Disrupted by a Nobody: On the 20th Congress of the ccp
(2022) 1121
Au Loong-yu
From Ürümchi to Shanghai: Demands from Chinese and Hong Kong
Socialists – A Letter on Strategy and Solidarity with Uyghur Struggle
(2022) 1127
Chinese and Hong Kong Socialists
Solidarity with the Mass Protests Demanding the Lifting of Lockdown
Restrictions and for an Anti-pandemic Effort That Is Scientific, Democratic
and for the People! (2022) 1131
“Some Revolutionary Communists in China”
Socialists Should Support the Popular Resistance in China (2022) 1137
Julian Yin
Appendix 1: Bibliographies 1145
Chinese Research on Trotskyism in China since the 1980s 1145
Yang Yang and Gregor Benton
English Language Sources on Chinese Trotskyism since 1969 1158
Sean James
Articles and Books Relevant to Chinese Trotskyism and Translations
into Japanese of Writings by Chinese Trotskyists Published since
1980 1161
Nagahori Yūzō
Publications in Russian on Chinese Trotskyism 1167
Alexander Pantsov
Papers of Leon Trotsky on China, Writings of Chinese Trotskyists in
English, and English Articles on Chinese Trotskyism Collected in the
Marxist Internet Archive (mia) 1169
Andrew Pollack
Appendix 2: Key Organisations 1172
Appendix 3: Biographical List 1174
References 1188
Index 1206
