On Practice and Contradiction

In this dazzling new series, philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Zizek interrogates key writings on revolution.

These early philosophical writings underpinned the Chinese revolutions and their clarion calls to insurrection remain some of the most stirring of all time. Drawing on a dizzying array of references from contemporary culture and politics, Zizek's firecracker commentary reaches unsettling conclusions about the place of Mao's thought in the revolutionary canon.

"Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer, which we use to crush the enemy."—Mao Zedong