我们需要什么样的政治家？——在社达与泛道德主义夹缝中前行

What Kind of Politician Do We Need? — Navigating Between Social Darwinism and Moral Purism

If the pro-democracy and anti-CCP movement had a mature and stable ecosystem and camp, the replacement of the Chinese Communist Party would be within reach. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Various voices are scattered across social media, with many people focused on chasing views, indulging in the frenzy of exploiting tragic events for attention, yet unwilling to advance any systemic action. There is little professional collaboration among them, only cliques and factions. Jealousy, defamation, and infighting have become the norm.

Even beyond the CCP’s internet trolls, many anti-CCP users on the internet are obsessed with gossip, rumors, and conspiracy theories, falling for fake personas like "Chen Peisi" or "Sun Haiying" with embarrassing gullibility. We can clearly see that even on issues that common sense can easily judge, there are many who remain confused and stubbornly refuse to wake up.

In such circumstances, even if a group of outstanding and upright intellectuals stands up, it’s incredibly hard to clean the murky waters. On the contrary, they may find themselves worn out or even disheartened by mobs manipulated by malicious actors.

This is to be expected. In politics, one often battles with scoundrels. And gentlemen who differ in stance can sometimes attack more viciously than scoundrels—scoundrels value their lives, but gentlemen, once convinced of a cause, may go to the bitter end fearlessly.

In this complex environment, adaptability is a basic quality of any modern politician. When dealing with both scoundrels and gentlemen, one must not become flustered or lose direction.

But a great politician must also possess a core set of ideals and principles—an unyielding will of steel.

Especially within the Chinese political landscape, rife with jungle-style Social Darwinism, it’s nearly impossible to persevere or avoid degeneration and vulgarity without the support of strong belief and inner conviction.

Beyond unwavering willpower, a seasoned politician must also possess organizational ability. This is not the same as influencer-style fan-gathering. The bond between influencers and followers is even more fragile than a fleeting marriage. These influencers often only pursue personal gain and stop there. But a politician's organizational strength lies in their ability to unite like-minded individuals, and to lead them—patiently and strategically—toward a common goal, even at the cost of sacrifice.

Encouragingly, some aspiring individuals are genuinely moving toward what real-world politics demands.

To those comrades, I sincerely offer two often-overlooked suggestions:

First, place high importance on developing a systematic capacity for military struggle, and in the process of building it, gain tangible, physical political power. In the Chinese political environment, there is little tolerance or sympathy for the eloquent but powerless gentleman. People laugh at the scholar’s failed rebellion. Beyond the CCP, many lurking shadows wait for the chance to strike you down. The wicked fear power, not virtue—and they are everywhere. Without a capacity for physical confrontation and deterrence, weakness will haunt you like a shadow. Lofty ideals and plans will be difficult to realize.

Second, do not lose yourself in the trap of moral purism during political practice. Morality is, of course, a core element of politics, and politicians should not allow their ideals to degenerate into vulgar self-interest. Upholding high aspirations and procedural justice is admirable. But beware of the danger beneath moral superiority—that is, the trap of moral absolutism. We are not negotiating peacefully with the CCP; we are engaged in a political struggle between hostile groups. Regardless of one’s views, this struggle follows its own ruthless rules and objective logic—survival for the obedient, destruction for the defiant. Many gray and dark areas must be confronted. Many harsh decisions must be made. Those who fall into moral absolutism often end up as historical tragedies—pitiful, but predictable.

A good politician cherishes their reputation.But only a great politician dares to wade into the filth, to sacrifice their own name and honor, and carve out a path for others to follow.