A Critical Introduction to Mao

By Asia Pacific Memo on November 3, 2010

Memo #34

Timothy Cheek

Dr. Timothy Cheek brought fourteen leading scholars together in A Critical Introduction to Mao to offer a critical evaluation of the life and legacy of Mao Zedong – China’s most famous leader of the 20th Century. These scholars, from different generations and from around the world, provide general readers with the information and tools necessary to make their own assessments of Mao, the revolution he led, and the society he helped to shape.

Central to the book is the idea that there is no one Mao, but rather multiple Maos, each a useful window into the ideas and experiences shaping China at different times during the 20th century and motivating many today. There is the historical Mao situated in his time and place, a time of upheaval and brutal warfare on all sides in a country struggling to make its way in the modern world. There is also the Mao that exists within the minds of millions, from contemporary Chinese citizens to rural revolutionaries from Nepal to Peru.

While clearly documenting Mao’s personal and policy failures, the collection steers away from moral judgments (leaving that to the reader). Instead, it places the activities of Mao in context: his lieutenants, his followers, and his competitors. It also provides a survey of contemporary uses of Mao inside China, in what is known as the Third World, and in Western societies. Amongst the book’s surprises is the strongly critical tone of two PRC authors working behind the “Great Fire Wall of China,” reflecting the dynamic resurgence of professional scholarship in China today. In all, the collection seeks to change the way the general reader understands Mao and modern China.

This is the sixth interview in the Behind the Book series at the Institute of Asian Research (IAR). Throughout the year, Behind the Book interviews are available on the IAR’s video gallery. Some also will appear in the Asia Pacific Memo series. To find all the videos created by the IAR, visit the Asia Pacific Memo YouTube channel.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH5kiEfHEiY[/youtube]

Question 1 (0:03) – Why did you compile this book?

Question 2 (0:54) – What’s the big idea?

Question 3 (1:41) – Your thoughts on the adage: Mao is 80% good and 20% bad

Question 4 (2:58) – Any big surprises while compiling this book?

Question 5 (3:54) – What is the book’s impact?

Book Cover of 'A Critical Introduction To Mao'

Book Cover of ‘A Critical Introduction To Mao’

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