06-21-2005, 02:59 PM
Occhidiangela,Jun 15 2005, 12:27 PM Wrote:Mao was an excellent revolutionary, and a disaster as a national leader in the practical domestic sense. Economic erosion, famine, much else destroyed under his ideals focused leadership.
[right][snapback]80724[/snapback][/right]
Although at the time his Nationalist party rival Chiang Kai Shek wasn't terribly great either, I'll add a few practical bonuses to what was being kicked out through revolution.
Things like: Multiple wives, foot-binding, kicking out european opium stranglehold. Got rid of feudal class system. Establish better semblence of egalitarianism. Lots of oppressive old traditions needed to be thrown out. Also did establish a rather impressive railway system that wasn't in place before (do I play Railroad tycoon II too much?). So... social benefits abound.
There's no question his economic decisions ended up unsound. While few of the educated lurkers here would think it, I'd just like to stress Mao wasn't terrible on the Evil scale. He f'ed up the economy and millions starved! He freed the people, women and men from being slaves to economy, social order or drugs. Hmm... Can't say I'm not glad the old leadership is gone, but how much worse or lacking was that leadership previous to or rivalling Mao?
The cultural lens is much different when made in china :whistling: