世界是你们的，也是我们的，但是归根结底是你们的。你们青年人朝气蓬勃，正在兴旺时期，好象早晨八、九点钟的太阳。希望寄托在你们身上。……
世界是属于你们的。中国的前途是属于你们的。 
——《在莫斯科会见我国留学生和实习生时的谈话》（一九五七年十一月十七日），《毛主席在苏联的言论》人民日报出版社版第一四——一五页
The world is yours, as well as ours, but in the last analysis, it is yours. You young people, full of vigour and vitality, are in the bloom of life, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning. Our hope is placed on you. ....
The world belongs to you. China's future belongs to you.
― "Talk at a meeting with Chinese students and trainees in Moscow" (November 17, 1957).

要使全体青年们懂得，我们的国家现在还是一个很穷的国家，并且不可能在短时间内根本改变这种状态，全靠青年和全体人民在几十年时间内，团结奋斗，用自己的双手创造出一个富强的国家。社会主义制度的建立给我们开辟了一条到达理想境界的道路，而理想境界的实现还要靠我们的辛勤劳动。
——《关于正确处理人民内部矛盾的问题》（一九五七年二月二十七日），人民出版社版第二三页
We must help all our young people to understand that ours is still a very poor country, that we cannot change this situation radically in a short time, and that only through the united efforts of our younger generation and all our people, working with their own hands, can China be made strong and prosperous within a period of several decades. The establishment of our socialist system has opened the road leading to the ideal society of the future, but to translate this ideal into reality needs hard work.
― "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People" (February 27, 1957), 1st pocket ed., pp. 44-45.

不少青年人由于缺少政治经验和社会生活经验，不善于把旧中国和新中国加以比较，不容易深切了解我国人民曾经怎样经历千辛万苦的斗争才摆脱了帝国主义和国民党反动派的压迫，而建立一个美好的社会主义社会要经过怎样的长时间的艰苦劳动。因此，需要在群众中间经常进行生动的、切实的政治教育，并且应当经常把发生的困难向他们作真实的说明，和他们一起研究如何解决困难的办法。
——《关于正确处理人民内部矛盾的问题》（一九五七年二月二十七日），人民出版社版第三二——三三页
Because of their lack of political and social experience, quite a number of young people are unable to see the contrast between the old China and the new, and it is not easy for them thoroughly to comprehend the hardships our people went through in the struggle to free themselves from the oppression of the imperialists and Kuomintang reactionaries, or the long period of arduous work needed before a happy socialist society can be established. That is why we must constantly carry on lively and effective political education among the masses and should always tell them the truth about the difficulties that crop up and discuss with them how to surmount these difficulties.
― Ibid., p. 63.

青年是整个社会力量中的一部分最积极最有生气的力量。他们最肯学习，最少保守思想，在社会主义时代尤其是这样。希望各地的党组织，协同青年团组织，注意研究如何特别发挥青年人的力量，不要将他们一般看待，抹杀了他们的特点。当然青年人必须向老年人和成年人学习，要尽量争取在老年人和成年人同意之下去做各种有益的活动。
——《中山县新平乡第九农业生产合作社的青年突击队》一文的按语（一九五五年），《中国农村的社会主义高潮》下册第九五九页
The young people are the most active and vital force in society. They are the most eager to learn and the least conservative in their thinking. This is especially so in the era of socialism. We hope that the local Party organizations in various places will help and work with the Youth League organizations and go into the question of bringing into full play the energy of our youth in particular. The Party organizations should not treat them in the same way as everybody else and ignore their special characteristics. Of course, the young people should learn from the old and other adults, and should strive as much as possible to engage in all sorts of useful activities with their agreement.
― Introductory note to "A Youth Shock Brigade of the No. 9 Agricultural Producers' Co-operative in Hsinping Township, Chungshan County" (1955), The Socialist Upsurge in China's Countryside, Chinese ed., Vol. III.

看一个青年是不是革命的，拿什么做标准呢？拿什么去辨别他呢？只有一个标准，这就是看他愿意不愿意、并且实行不实行和广大的工农群众结合在一块。愿意并且实行和工农结合的，是革命的，否则就是不革命的，或者是反革命的。他今天把自己结合于工农群众，他今天是革命的；但是如果他明天不去结合了，或者反过来压迫老百姓，那就是不革命的，或者是反革命的了。
——《青年运动的方向》（一九三九年五月四日），《毛泽东选集》第二卷第五五四页
How should we judge whether a youth is a revolutionary? How can we tell? There can only be one criterion, namely, whether or not he is willing to integrate himself with the broad masses of workers and peasants and does so in practice. If he is willing to do so and actually does so, he is a revolutionary; otherwise he is a nonrevolutionary or a counter-revolutionary. If today he integrates himself with the masses of workers and peasants, then today he is a revolutionary; if tomorrow he ceases to do so or turns round to oppress the common people, then he becomes a nonrevolutionary or a counter-revolutionary.
― "The Orientation of the Youth Movement" (May 4, 1939), Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 246.

知识分子在其未和群众的革命斗争打成一片，在其未下决心为群众利益服务并与群众相结合的时候，往往带有主观主义和个人主义的倾向，他们的思想往往是空虚的，他们的行动往往是动摇的。因此，中国的广大的革命知识分子虽然有先锋的和桥梁的作用，但不是所有这些知识分子都能革命到底的。其中一部分，到了革命的紧急关头，就会脱离革命队伍，采取消极态度；其中少数人，就会变成革命的敌人。知识分子的这种缺点，只有在长期的群众斗争中才能克服。
——《中国革命和中国共产党》（一九三九年十二月），《毛泽东选集》第二卷第六三六页
The intellectuals often tend to be subjective and individualistic, impractical in their thinking and irresolute in action until they have thrown themselves heart and soul into mass revolutionary struggles, or made up their minds to serve the interests of the masses and become one with them. Hence although the mass of revolutionary intellectuals in China can play a vanguard role or serve as a link with the masses, not all of them will remain revolutionaries to the end. Some will drop out of the revolutionary ranks at critical moments and become passive, while a few may even become enemies of the revolution. The intellectuals can overcome their shortcomings only in mass struggles over a long period.
― "The Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party" (December 1939), Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 322.*

青年团除了应继续配合党的中心工作以外，还要有适合青年特点的独立工作。新中国要为青年们着想，要关怀青年一代的成长。青年们要学习，要工作，但青年时期是长身体的时期。因此，要充分兼顾青年的工作、学习和娱乐、体育、休息两个方面。 
——《在接见青年团第二次全国代表大会主席团时的指示》（一九五三年六月三十日），一九五三年七月三日《人民日报》
Apart from continuing to act in co-ordination with the Party in its central task, the Youth League should do its own work to suit the special characteristics of youth. New China must care for her youth and show concern for the growth of the younger generation. Young people have to study and work, but they are at the age of physical growth. Therefore, full attention must be paid both to their work and study and to their recreation, sport and rest.
― "Talk at the reception for the Presidium of the Second National Congress of the Youth League" (June 30, 1953).