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= The Memory of Mao ZeDong = Mao ZeDong is a infamous name in Chinese history and one that continues to stir up intense controversy in China and the world beyond. Though he died in 1976, his ghost continues to haunt China and it's current leaders with the question of: How should Mao be remembered?.

After declaring the creation of The People's Republic of China in 1949, Mao went on to make history that would cement him as one of the most important leaders in Chinese history. While Mao was revered by his followers for being a good solider, a Chinese Marxist Theorist, and the leader of the communist revolution, his actions during the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward, which collectively are responsible for millions of deaths in China , call into question how he should be remembered in present day by the Chinese Communist Party. Though it is a difficult topic for the CCP to address, it is something that they know they cannot ignore.

Mao ZeDong and Maintaining CCP Legitimacy
After Mao passed away in 1976, the Party was confronted with the burden of addressing his memory. Millions had suffered at the hands of Chairman Mao; however, the way in which the Party would address his actions was of principle importance, as condemning Mao, would in turn be see as condemning the Party. To maintain political legitimacy the CCP would have to artfully address the aftermath of Mao. In the "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of our Party", the CCP attempted to address the actions and legacy of Mao ZeDong. The document released in 1981, reviews the years before the establishment of the People's Republic of China, and the period after, including the "Decade of Cultural Revolution". While the CCP acknowledges the "mistakes" made during the Cultural Revolution stating, "[the Cultural Revolution] was responsible for the most severe setback and the heaviest losses suffered by the Party, the state and the people since the founding of the People's Republic of China" ; however, the Party is hesitant to denounce Mao stating,

"But after all it was the error of a great proletarian revolutionary. Comrade Mao ZeDong paid constant attention to overcoming shortcomings in the Life of the Party and state. In his later years, however, far from making a correct analysis of many problems, he confused right and wrong and the people with the enemy during the "cultural revolution". While making serious mistakes, he repeatedly urged the whole Party to study the works of Marx, Engels and Lenin conscientiously and imagined that his theory and practice were Marxist and that they were essential for the consolidation of the dictatorship of the poletrariat... all these important facts are inseparable from the great role played by Comrade Mao ZeDong. For these reasons, and particularly for his vital contributions to the cause of the revolution over the years, the Chinese people have always regarded Comrade Mao ZeDong as their respected and beloved great leader and teacher. "

Instead of chastising Mao for his actions, here the CCP took a more diplomatic approach and attempted to focus on the good that Mao brought to the People's Republic of China as to preserve the legitimacy of the party.

In the years after "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of our Party" was released regulations prohibited publishing companies from publishing works that centered around the Cultural Revolution. This type of writing was referred to as "scar literature" and it was prohibited.

Why is the Party so intentional in it's rhetoric surrounding Mao? Because the Party believes that socialist states fall when their leaders become villainized. Zhu Jiamu, the Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, uses the example of the Soviet Union demonizing Stalin and Lenin to argue against speaking ill of Mao. By focusing on the good that Mao did the Party works to maintain its legitimacy, because after all Mao was a pivotal leader in the history of the Party. To turn against Mao would be to turn against the Party in a sense. Thus the CCP maintains "[Mao's] merits are primary and his errors secondary".

Still today you can see a large picture of Mao hanging over the Forbidden City and even pictures of him in citizens' homes who continue to hold him in high regard.

Chairman Mao in the Eyes of Present-Day Citizens
In 2013 a study was conducted by the Global Times in China found that over 85% of respondents said that Mao's merits outweighed his mistakes. Similarly in 2019 the Washington Post conducted a study that showed that citizens in China still held somewhat favorable views of Chairman Mao. Their study interviewed people who lived through the Maoist era, many of them said that it was a time of peace that they miss. While they were able to acknowledge Mao's wrong doings, these citizens held a sort of nostalgia for the past.

A Resurgence of Maoism
In recent years it appears that Mao is still asserting his influence and beliefs on the younger generation in China from the grave. Among the Chinese Z generation Mao has become a popular topic. The extensive economic reform that has been taking place in China for several decades has left many young citizens feeling dissatisfied with the Party and the opportunities it presents. In recent years social inequality has exacerbated by economic reform. Gen Z citizens struggle to find opportunities that will allow them to afford housing without having to work exorbitant hours. As a result the wealth gap continues to grow in China despite it being a socialist state. In the wake of their frustration, many of the youth have turned to the teachings of Chairman Mao which emphasized fairness. Mao's assertion that Chinese society suffered from a class struggle, resonates with many Gen Z citizens in China. Thus they argue that the way forward is to turn back towards the teachings of Chairman Mao.