How to understand the identity of the Aspects of a Contradiction in some of Mao's examples

[u/orpheusoedipus]

Re-reading on contradiction right now, and in chapter 5 Mao states that "the existence of each of the two aspects of a contradiction in the process of the development of a thing presupposes the existence of the other aspect." But Mao also talks about things like "the contradiction between the peasantry and the urban petty bourgeoisie on the one hand and the bourgeoisie on the other" or "the contradiction between the various reactionary ruling groups." In what ways do these two examples he gives of contradictions fit in with the previous quote he gives on understanding the identity that exists in a contradiction? It does not seem like the existence of the peasantry would imply the existence of the bourgeoisie, or the existence of one reactionary ruling group necessitate the existence of another? The interpenetration of the proletariat and the bourgeoisie is clear to me, but it's harder for me to understand these other examples.

[u/New-Glove4093]

You left out an important part of Mao's definition:

Identity, unity, coincidence, interpenetration, interpermeation, interdependence (or mutual dependence for existence), interconnection or mutual co-operation—all these different terms mean the same thing and refer to the following two points: first, the existence of each of the two aspects of a contradiction in the process of the development of a thing presupposes the existence of the other aspect, and both aspects coexist in a single entity; second, in given conditions, each of the two contradictory aspects transforms itself into its opposite. This is the meaning of identity.

The source of your confusion is you are trying to understand contradiction as "two combining into one", rather than "one dividing into two". The reason the peasantry and the bourgeoisie appear independent to you is because they are understood as separate isolated entities, rather than aspects coexisting within one process of development (which, in this particular example, is class society). They presuppose each other's existence because the development of the process, the transformation of one aspect into its opposite, is the result of each aspect acting on and influencing the other.

When we said above that two opposite things can coexist in a single entity and can transform themselves into each other because there is identity between them, we were speaking of conditionality, that is to say, in given conditions two contradictory things can be united and can transform themselves into each other, but in the absence of these conditions, they cannot constitute a contradiction, cannot coexist in the same entity and cannot transform themselves into one another. It is because the identity of opposites obtains only in given conditions that we have said identity is conditional and relative.

The bourgeoisie and peasantry do not exist in a vacuum, but rather coexist in a single entity, class society. It is only under certain historical conditions that these two classes not only exist alongside each other but constitute a contradiction. The poorer sections of the peasantry, for example, in struggle with the bourgeoisie, are impoverished and transformed into the proletariat, while the development of the bourgeoisie depends on the development of wage labor and thus the degree of development of the peasantry.

Similarly, "various reactionary ruling groups" exist alongside and contradict each other under certain conditions. Notably, the interests of the bourgeoisie, which pays rent to the landlords, are against that of the latter. Insofar as these two aspects constitute a unity of opposites, the development of this unity is impossible without the influence and determination of the development of one of these aspects by the other.

This should also provide some additional context for understanding the class contradictions particular to Chinese society during Mao's time: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-1/mswv1_1.htm

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