Mao is very popular in the PRC, and among Marxists. The modern CPC recognizes his contributions as around 70% good, 30% bad. The Cultural Revolution in particular is a touchy subject largely seen as a misstep, but certainly not a “genocide” either. Same with famine, which was previously common in China but was only ended by the communists in power.
Mao’s popularity stems from establishing socialism in China, successfully kicking out the Japanese imperialists and then winning the civil war against the nationalist Kuomintang, and building up a robust system of socialism in early China, accomplishing metrics like a doubling in life expectancy, large (but unstable, as Deng would later stabilize with socialist market reforms) economic growth, banning footbinding, and more.
Mao is very popular in the PRC, and among Marxists. The modern CPC recognizes his contributions as around 70% good, 30% bad. The Cultural Revolution in particular is a touchy subject largely seen as a misstep, but certainly not a “genocide” either. Same with famine, which was previously common in China but was only ended by the communists in power.
Mao’s popularity stems from establishing socialism in China, successfully kicking out the Japanese imperialists and then winning the civil war against the nationalist Kuomintang, and building up a robust system of socialism in early China, accomplishing metrics like a doubling in life expectancy, large (but unstable, as Deng would later stabilize with socialist market reforms) economic growth, banning footbinding, and more.