Serve the People

"Serve the People" is a political slogan and the motto of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It originates from the title of a speech by Mao Zedong, delivered in September 1944. The slogan became popular in the United States due to the strong Maoist influence on the New Left, especially among the Red Guard Party, the Black Panther Party, and the Yellow Brotherhood of West Los Angeles. Development Mao Zedong wrote this speech to commemorate the death of a PLA soldier, Zhang Side, a participant in the Long March who died in the collapse of a kiln when he worked in Shaanxi province. In the speech, Mao quoted a phrase written by the famous Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian: "Though death befalls all men alike, it may be heavy as Mount Tai or light as a feather" (人固有一死，或轻于鸿毛，或重于泰山). Mao continued: "To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather. Comrade Zhang Side died for the people, and his death is indeed weightier than Mount Tai". The speech, delivered on 8 September 1944, states that the CCP and the People's Liberation Army have no other goal than to serve the people. It states that the CCP and its cadres should not be afraid of criticism, and if criticism is correct, they should accept it and revise their behavior accordingly. It also states that everyone in the revolutionary ranks is equal regardless of title or position.