The Political Philosophy of Mao Zedong

Description

The study of the political philosophy of Mao Zedong has continued to have significance as Maoist groups engage in a range of activities of social transofmation in different parts of the world. In post-Mao China the successes of economic reforms are being assessed from various vantage points including the legacies of the Chinese Revolution. There is also a worldwide debate on the path of development pursued in various countries in the era of globalization and liberalization. Most of these issues were the subject of philosophical and political debated in Mao Zedong’s lifetime. The chapters in this volume deal with the core questions fo revolution and social trnasformation during the past century. The theory of the New Democratic Revolution dealt with the specific conditions obtaining in Asian, African and Latin American countires in course of fighting various kinds of feudal and colonial situations. The creative formulation of Mao Zedong in building united front against the principal enemy remains an importatn strategic principle. From this perspective economic, social, cultural and political tasks during the period of people’s democratic revolution continue to unfold even today. Mao Zedong raised the qualitative issues on the nature of a socialsit society and how productive forces should be developed to end alienation of labour and enlarge the realm of human freedom. This is discussed in the chapter on Conitnuous Revolution. The mode of understanding global processes and identifying the dynamics of contradictions in the age of imperialism and revolution is discussed keeping in view particularities of a historical situation faced by the people of a region. Mao’s theoretical writings on contradiction and practice are explained and articulated as laws of dialectics in this study which can be the basis for understanding specific problesm and formulating action programmes in course of political practice. The prologue in this new edition presents a critical and comprehensive view of Maoism in the context of dominant concerns of the twnty-first century and the discoruse on Mao in China. This book will be of value not only for students and scholars of social sciences, particularly political science and philosophy, but also for general readers interested in the study of social development, revolution, socialism, Marxism and modern China.

Manoranjan Mohanty, formerly Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi,is currently Chairperson and Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi and Professor of Social Development at Council forSocial Development, New Delhi. Former Editor ofChina Report, he is presently the Editor ofSocial Change.