Revolution is not a dinner party,[2] or making revolution is not inviting people over for dinner,[3] is a phrase coined by Mao Zedong.
[4] It is taken from Mao's essay titled Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan written in 1927 during the Land Revolution.
[6] In this report, Mao stated that "A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous.
A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.
[8] The saying is also the basis of a political joke: "for many cadres Geming bushi qingke jiushi chifan 'Revolution is not entertaining guests, just eating dinner [at public expense or at the cost of the nouveaux riches]."