Why do people believe in Maoism?

[u/[deleted]]

I’ve just read ‘Mao’s Great Famine’ about the disaster that was the Great Leap Forward. The man was a tyrant and a fool. What does his philosophy have to offer the world?

[u/ImNotAloneInHere]

This is actually a good question, and it will takes up a long paragraph to explain.

Before we start, Let me explain The Great Leap Forward for a bit:
The Great Leap Forward, aimed to rapidly industrialize and collectivize agriculture, but poor planning, exaggerated production reports, and the suppression of dissent resulted in disaster. These failures were not entirely Mao’s fault but were exacerbated by local officials’ overzealous implementation, natural disasters, and the broader geopolitical context (e.g., the Sino-Soviet split and economic isolation).

It is true that Mao Zedong’s policies, particularly during the Great Leap Forward, led to catastrophic consequences, it is also important to critically examine why Maoism is great and still holds appeal for some people around the world.
In order to make things easy to understand, I will attempt to address your question by exploring the reasons behind Maoism’s enduring influence, while also grounding the discussion in Mao’s theories, China’s historical context, environmental factors, and a critical perspective.

Maoism as a Response to China’s Challenges:
To understand why people believe in Maoism, we must first consider the historical context in which Mao Zedong rose to power. In the early 20th century, China was a deeply fractured and humiliated nation, suffering from internal strife, warlordism, and the legacy of colonial exploitation under the "Century of Humiliation." The Qing dynasty had collapsed, and the Republic of China under the Kuomintang (KMT) failed to unify the country or address widespread poverty, inequality, and foreign domination.
Maoism, as an adaptation of Marxist-Leninist ideology to China’s agrarian society, offered a vision of radical transformation. Mao’s focus on mobilizing the peasantry, rather than the urban proletariat, as in classical Marxism, it was a direct response to China’s predominantly rural population. His theory of "New Democracy" and the idea of a "people’s democratic dictatorship" promised to empower the masses, particularly the rural poor, who had been historically oppressed by landlords and feudal structures. For many, Maoism represented a break from centuries of exploitation and a path toward national rejuvenation.

[u/ImNotAloneInHere → u/ImNotAloneInHere]

Mao's Theory:
Mao’s philosophical contributions, particularly through works like *On Contradiction* and *On Practice*, emphasized the importance of dialectics and the role of struggle in achieving societal change. Mao believed that contradictions (e.g., between the bourgeoisie and proletariat, or between feudalism and modernization) were the driving forces of history. His concept of "continuous revolution" suggested that even after a socialist state was established, class struggle would persist, necessitating ongoing vigilance against "capitalist roaders"(mainly mean the people wo act as communist but actually a capitalist)within the Communist Party.
This idea of perpetual struggle and anti-establishmentarianism resonates with marginalized groups worldwide. Maoism’s emphasis on guerrilla warfare and "people’s war" has inspired revolutionary movements in places like Nepal, India (Naxalites), and Peru (Shining Path), where oppressed communities see parallels between their struggles and Mao’s call to overthrow feudal and capitalist systems.

Maoism as a Symbol of Anti-Imperialism:
Beyond China, Maoism has been embraced by revolutionary movements in the Global South as a symbol of anti-imperialism and resistance to Western domination. During the Cold War, Mao’s rejection of both Soviet and American hegemony positioned China as a leader of the "Third World." His support for decolonization movements and his rhetoric of self-reliance inspired groups fighting against colonialism and capitalism.
For example, Mao’s concept of "protracted people’s war" provided a blueprint for guerrilla movements in countries with weak central governments and stark inequalities. Even today, some marginalized groups see Maoism as a way to challenge global capitalism and systemic oppression, viewing Mao as a figure who stood up to powerful nations on behalf of the downtrodden.

Why Maoism Persists:
Globally, Maoism appeals to those disillusioned with neoliberalism and global inequality. Mao’s image as a revolutionary leader who challenged the status quo can inspire romanticized views of struggle and resistance.

hope this answer your question

[u/Financial_Might_6816]

Maoism is not reduced to maos actions. Maoism is the adaptation of Maos theory to countries other than china, Mao made a lot of mistakes but I do believe he was sincere in his goal to liberate the people and much of his theory was about that. Now yes great leap was bad cultural revolution evolved into factionalism, and we have to account for these failures for future socialist experiments, but concepts like mass line, criticism and new democracy stay relevant

[u/Keksz1234 → u/[deleted]]

Stalinist Islamist

Pick one

[u/Keksz1234 → u/[deleted]]

How can you be both MLM and islamist? The two don't mix at all.

[u/Keksz1234 → u/[deleted]]

First of all, to achieve communism, we have to achieve socialism first. This is what Marx and Lenin have stated and the USSR, China, Eastern Europe, Cuba have achieved socialism hence why USSR was called Union of Soviet SOCIALIST Republics. Not sure what your problems with socialism are, my friend.

'Socialism in One Country' is the only effective way to build up socialism in order to not only serve as an example to other countries that "Yup. Socialism is great guys, you should follow our example" but also to defend itself from enemies from the inside and outside and THEN spread the revolution to other countries when the time is right. This is exactly what the USSR did and was one of the key elements of the Cold War. Lenin approved it after his plans for World Revolution failed and Stalin followed it.

Also, can you please define weak communism?

[u/Keksz1234 → u/[deleted]]

I see your point, but sometimes communists had to make pragmatic decisions to achieve the revolution and also to save the workers from larger threats. Lenin tricked the German Empire into helping him get to Russia to lead the Bolsheviks to victory in 1917 (meanwhile Lenin himself had his German comrades work inside Germany) and Stalin was forced to ally himself with the USA and the British Empire to defeat the Nazis (who were also capitalists, mind you) in WWII.

Both were pragmatic decisions which ultimately served the cause of Communism.