Mao’s Problems of War and Strategy contains this sentence in the English version reproduced by the Marxists Internet Archive. The underlying occasion is dated 1938-11-06; that is not the publication date of this modern English translation.
“Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun” Mao Zedong — Problems of War and Strategy (1938-11-06), English version reproduced by Marxists Internet Archive; modern translation, not a public-domain English clearance.
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In context
Evoking the world of Mao Zedong — Chinese Communist leader. Theme: "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
Minimalist
Minimalist editorial slide for the quote "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun". Clean background, a single muted accent color, generous negative space, subtle paper or linen texture, no literal illustration — let the words carry it. Reserve clear space for a serif quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
Provenance
The source
Containing work
Problems of War and Strategy
Underlying occasion
1938-11-06
English version
Marxists Internet Archive transcription; individual translator/edition not identified
This is modern English wording from a post-1930 Mao work and translation tradition. It is treated conservatively as in copyright; the date of the Chinese speech does not make the English translation public domain. Only a brief excerpt is reproduced for identification and criticism.
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Context
Why it mattered
In the 1938 argument, Mao links Communist political survival to the possession and organization of armed force. The surrounding passage insists that the party must control its weapons, placing the famous sentence inside a concrete argument about revolutionary strategy rather than a general celebration of violence.
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Filed under
More provenance-checked quotes on the same theme, each with its reuse status.
Mao Zedong led the Chinese Communist Party to victory in the civil war and helped establish the People’s Republic of China in 1949. His later campaigns included the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution; the use of his name as a quotation authority needs to be distinguished from a source in his actual writings.
For writers & researchers
Cite this
The primary source (Chicago)
Mao Tse-tung. “Problems of War and Strategy” (1938-11-06). Selected Works, English text reproduced by Marxists Internet Archive. Specific English translator/edition not independently established.
This verification page
Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/political-power-grows-out-of-the-barrel-of-a-gun/