Question

What did Mao Zedong do to be considered a villain? In your answer, list at least three of the villain’s actions and briefly explain their effects. You might need to find outside sources to answer this question. List the sources that you consulted during your research.

Answer 1

Mao Zedong is considered a villain because he was essentially a highly ineffective authoritarian leader. His policies were erratic, and did not bring progress to China.

Three actions that Mao Zedong carried out are:

1. The Great Leap Forward: this was a disastrous agricultural and industrial policy that did not bring the expected results. Farmers were placed in collective farms that were not well-equipped, and they were also obliged to produce steel with ineffective methods. The policy resulted in a famine that killed millions, and in the production of steel that was of very low-quality.
2. The Cultural Revolution: this policy attempted to change China's culture, including aspects like confucianism and buddhism. Mao also used this policy to silence his political opponents, many of them were executed.
3. Authoritarianism: Mao was very authoritarian and created a cult of personality around his figure. Criticism was not allowed, and he obliged people, from soliders to farmers, to be loyal to him, and to read his writings.