Mao Zedong and Political Theory
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Attempting to position Mao Zedong's theoretical contributions to and departures from the orthodox doctrines of Marxism-Leninism-Stalinism requires an understanding of the unique sociocultural and political environment of China itself. Chinese society as described by Lucian Pye (1991) functioned within a social and institutional framework shaped by a distinctive political system and based upon a humanistic ideology emerging from the secular ideology of Confucianism. Unlike Russia, China was a largely secular society in which the aristocracy based on birth was abandoned at an early stage in the nation's history. As Pye (1991) notes, there was a long tradition in China of meritocracy and the development of individual achievement via competitive examinations as a precursor to being selected for bureaucratic rule and service. This Confucian ideal, said Pye (1991, p. 33), reflected the belief that "government is at the heart of civilization. For the Chinese, the most exalted task for mankind was devising proper and just government." This set of values was of great influence in shaping the thinking of Mao Zedong. In understanding orthodox Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist ideology, it is important to recognize that Marx postulated that feudalism would yield to capitalism and that communism would ultimately emerge as the most effective way of organizing economic and social relations. Lenin, a devout believer in Marxism, argued that a revolution was necessary in order to engage
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failed to support the Maoist program.
In 1956, according to Meisner (2006), a growing proletariat seeking socialist transformation brought about increasingly repressive and social control and harsh discipline in the factories. Mao also sought after 1956 to distance Chinese communism from that of the Soviets and to eliminate the influence of the so-called intellectuals. Mao also began at that time an anti-bureaucratic drive to reduce the influence of the intellectual party members on communist policies. Meisner (2006) said that ultimately, Mao would abandon the Soviet Union model and call for a return to more traditional Chinese values modified of course by Maoist communist ideology. Further, said Meisner (2006), Mao believed in constant struggle and ongoing revolution. The Great Leap Forward of 1958 and 1959 was designed to enhance the development of agriculture while controlling the population and expanding industrialization and modernization.
Rodzinski (2006, p. 61) states that "Mao Zedong's vision of the Chinese road to socialism was also partially derived from his belief in the necessity of regarding the revolution as a permanent phenomenon in which one revolution must follow the other, the revolution must continua
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Approximate Word count = 3022
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page)
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