70% right, 30% wrong
Saturday marks 30 years since Chairman Mao died. In this post, I do not wish to honor him becuase he is responsible for the deaths of millions of people, but then again I don't feel like making this is Mao bashing either. Lets just call it a reminder.
The worst "accomplishment" would have to be the cultural revolution. Those who survived and are still around today will never be able to forget the horror and the fear they lived through. In college I would always joke that I wouldn't mind having 3 years off school- but of course I would never trade it for hard labor.
Mao grew up a nobody, who turned into somebody everybody thought could lead the country. This goes to show that a nobody can unify a country, but that its probably not the best choice (for obvious reasons).
The great leap forward "propelled" China into the future. It also propelled them into a hole.
In the end after all the good Mao did, China finally came around (after his death) and admitted Mao wasn't always right, he was 70% right and 30% wrong. I would be interested in seeing a percentage now. For those of the Chinese who weren't around during the Mao era, he has become not only a hero but also somewhat mythical. At least the Chinese look up to their leaders.
Incase you have nothing to do on Saturday... you could always celebrate or commemorate Chairman Mao.
posted by D.A. @ 9:28 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
No matter how many good deeds he could possibly have done, the fact that Mao murdered millions of innocent people automatically makes him the moral equivalent of Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot. Why shouldn't we "bash" him, then? What's not to bash? He's ethically 100% wrong, in my book.
I always think of Mao as someone who intitially ment to do well but was then corroupted by power.
Brian
Thanks for your comments. Had I read about this yesterday I probably would have made it a Mao bash-fest, but for some reason this morning I wasn't in the mood to do that.
I agree that Mao, Hitler and Stalin are synonyms.
You Activist-
Thank you for your comment. What leader didn't originally mean to do well? "Intentions" are a sign of shallow character. And to say that Mao was only corrupted by power is a big understatement. Mao brought corruption to China. Killing millions of people is far beyond corruption.
Thanks for your thoughts.
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