Chen Duxiu Update (or, the Devil Makes Work for Idle Hands) (1929) episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 11, 2025 · 31 MIN

Chen Duxiu Update (or, the Devil Makes Work for Idle Hands) (1929)

from People's History of Ideas Podcast · host Matthew Rothwell

The story of how the co-founder and first General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party became a Trotskyist.Further reading:Gregor Benton, China’s Urban Revolutionaries: Explorations in the History of Chinese Trotskyism, 1921-1952 Gregor Benton, Prophets Unarmed: Chinese Trotskyists in Revolution, War, Jail, and the Return from Limbo Lee Feigon, Chen Duxiu: Founder of the Chinese Communist PartyChang Kuo-t’ao [Zhang Guotao], The Rise of the Chinese Communist Party (2 volumes) Tony Saich, The Rise to Power of the Chinese Communist Party Jane Price, Cadres, Commanders, and Commissars: The Training of the Chinese Communist Leadership, 1920-1945Some names from this episode:Chen Duxiu, co-founder of the Communist Party of ChinaLi Dazhao, co-founder of the Communist Party of ChinaZheng Chaolin, Chinese TrotskyistLi Lisan, leading CommunistYin Kuan, resigned as Provincial Secretary in AnhuiPeng Shuzhi, resigned as Provincial Secretary in ZhiliWang Zekai, Chinese TrotskyistLiu Bojian, former Provincial Secretary in HubeiRen Xu, Chinese TrotskyistXiang Ying, Jiangsu Provincial Secretary following the 6th Party CongressCai Zhende, member of Jiangsu Provincial CommitteeZhou Enlai, head of the Organization Department of the Central CommitteeWang Ruofei, sent to work in a factory in Moscow as punishment for Trotskyism before recantingQu Qiubai, top leader of Communist Party from the summer of 1927 until the Sixth CongressZhang Guotao, leading Communist Episode artwork:Chen Duxiu with Peng Shuzi in 1932Support the show

The story of how the co-founder and first General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party became a Trotskyist. Further reading: Gregor Benton, China’s Urban Revolutionaries: Explorations in the History of Chinese Trotskyism, 1921-1952 Gregor Benton, Prophets Unarmed: Chinese Trotskyists in Revolution, War, Jail, and the Return from Limbo Lee Feigon, Chen Duxiu: Founder of the Chinese Communist Party Chang Kuo-t’ao [Zhang Guotao], The Rise of the Chinese Communist Party (2 volumes) Tony Sa...

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Chen Duxiu Update (or, the Devil Makes Work for Idle Hands) (1929)

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This episode is 31 minutes long.

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This episode was published on December 11, 2025.

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The story of how the co-founder and first General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party became a Trotskyist.Further reading:Gregor Benton, China’s Urban Revolutionaries: Explorations in the History of Chinese Trotskyism, 1921-1952 Gregor Benton,...

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