What is the policies of Mao Zedong ?

Mao rose to power in 1949 after what is called the Long March. His first policy was called the Gret Leap Forward, it was aimed at developing both agriculture and industry by relying on the immense labor force of China. It failed completely and led to massive starvation in the early 1960s which led to the death of millions.

During the Sixties Mao underwent what is called the Cultural Revolution, his purpose was to transform Chinese culture by purging what was not compatible with Socialistic ethics. Millions of intellectuals for instance were forced to go to the countryside to work as farm hands in harsh conditions. Once again millions of people were murdered.

Mao was inspired by Marx philosophy of historical materialism and thus longed for a complete transformation of society through state brutality. Though he was inspired by Lenin and started his reign as an ally of the USSR, he shifted in 1962 by breaking his alliance with the Soviet regime.

Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China, implemented various policies during his leadership, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. The Great Leap Forward aimed to rapidly transform China's economy through agricultural collectivization and industrialization. However, it resulted in widespread famine and economic setbacks. The Cultural Revolution, launched in 1966, sought to remove capitalist and traditional elements from society and reinforce Maoist ideology through mass mobilization and purges. These policies had significant social, economic, and political impacts on China, shaping its trajectory in the 20th century.