Cult of Personality

Mao Zedong

Founded PRC on OCT. 1st 1949
100 flowers campaign

Great leap forward

Cultural Revolution

Chairman Mao is still a very respected figure in mainland China. He was a communist revolutionary who founded the Peoples Republic of China. He was believer in Marxism and a supporter of Stalin who developed his own ideas into Maoism. He taught Marxism to peasent workers which led to him leading an uprising and over throwing the government. Thats when things get a little sketchy. He may be directly responsible for 100s of thousands of executed chinese philosophers and intellectuals(100flowers), and indirectly or directly starving millions of peasents(Greatleap). He started the Cultural Revolution sometime after both of those incidents to regain some of the power he had lost. He brought the country to near civil war, a million more died.

It depends on how you look at it. Sacrifices are made in all revolutions. He helped China begin down the path they are currently on. He is never mentioned now in Chinese politics because of his controversial status. They have never officially repudiated his tactics. His body is on display in Tiananmen square. He was a revolutionary who was corrupted after gaining power.

As far as I can see he is still part of modern China. His photo is everywhere and everyone knows he is the founder of modern China. His face is on every denomination of paper money. However you want to look at it, he is an interesting figure in Chinese and world history. I wish I could talk to some of the old retired people who spend thier days sitting in the sun. I think they know the truth.