Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong

Done by: Rayson KhooNeo Jiahao Tan Wei RenZhang Siyuan

Table of contents

Definition of leadership

Biography of Mao Zedong

Mao’s Rise to power

Significant Events

Leadership Style

Judging of effectiveness

Our Definition of leadership

A leader is someone who can direct and influence a group of people to work towards and achieve a goal.

A leader will usually first come up with a goal or vision and will then need to convince his followers to pursue this common goal.

Criteria of a great (political)leader

First, a great leader must be able to hold on to the support of his people.

Next a great leader result in a significant change in his country.

Lastly, a great leader must result in a deep and lasting positive impact on both his people and country

Criteria of a good(political)leader

A good leader must be able to empathize with his followers.

A good leader must improve the standard of living of his people.

A good leader must be morally upright and and empower his followers.

Biography - An Introduction (1)

Appointed as first chairman of the communist party of China

revived its stagnating economy and culture and extended his contribution by normalizing its relations with world's super powers

led the People's Republic of China from 1949 until his death in 1976

laid the foundation for powerful nation through his effective reforms and many socio-cultural programs

Biography - An Introduction (2)

Social-cultural programs such as "Great Leap Forward” criticized from within China and outside for ruining the heritage, culture and agriculture of China

regarded as the one of the most important figures of the modern World History

portrayed as a great revolutionary and strategist

transformed the country into a major power through his policies

Biography – Early life in China

born in an affluent Buddhist family of China

Graduated from the First provincial Normal School of Hunan in 1918

registered as a part time student at Beijing University

engaged himself as much as possible in reading

During his stay in Beijing, his idea of communism evolved and matured.

Was from a peasant family

believed that problems of China could be studied and resolved only within China

co-founded the Communist Party of China (CPC)

People’s Republic of China established on 1 October 1949

Ending the almost two decade’s long civil and International war

Chairman of the PRC in 1954 remained till 1959.

Took over the control of all media to promote the image of Mao and the party

Ordered executions as necessary for the ‘securing the power.’

launched the first Five-Years Plan in 1953 that aimed to end the Chinese dependence on agriculture to become a world power

New industrial plants were built and agricultural industries began to produce enough capital that China no longer needed any outside support

Initiated the Second Five-year Plan, ‘The Great Leap Forward’ in 1958

efforts were made to increase the rate of literacy and to control prices

Second Five-Year Plan, also known as ‘The Great Leap Forward’

Focused on heavy industries for economic growth small agricultural collectives were merged into far

larger people’s communes Peasants were ordered to work on massive

infrastructure projects and all private food production was banned

combined by the flood or drought situation in some areas left peasants nothing to eat resulting into the largest Famine in the human history

The Cultural Revolution Due to failure of the ‘Great Leap Forward’

feared the prospect of loosing his place at the political stage, as he had lost esteem among top party leaders

launched Cultural Revolution in 1966

continue the armed struggle through young people and teenagers and give power directly to the Red Group

led to the destruction of Chinese heritage and prosecution of millions.

Final Days declared the Cultural Revolution to be over

declining health and lung ailment due to smoking and heart trouble

His body lay in the state at the Great hall of the People

His body was later placed into Mausoleum of Mao Zedong

Biography – A Timeline 1893- Mao Zedong was born

on 26 December 1893.

1918- Graduated from Normal Provincial School.

1919- Travelled to Beijing.

1921- He co-founded the Communist party of China.

1927- Conducted Autumn Harvest Uprising.

1930- His wife Yang Kaihui was arrested and killed by KMT.

1949- Took over the power

from the KMT.

1949- Establishment of People’s Republic of China.

1954- Mao became president of PRC.

1958- Second Five-Year Plan ‘The Great leap forward’ was launched.

1966- Cultural Revolution was launched.

1976- On 9 September Mao Zedong passed away.

Characteristics/Leadership Qualities Intelligent

Methodical

Possesses Foresight

Innovative

Charismatic

Ruthless

Intelligent Despite not receiving proper education in

his early years, Mao educated himself by reading a variety of books.

Despite being born from a peasant family, he pioneered China’s philosophical and political ideologies and published a lot theoretical works.

Methodical Splendid mass organizer and administrator

Knows how to go to the masses and organize them to realize these slogans

A classical example: "On the Rectification of Incorrect Ideas in the Party",

dealing with such errors as "the purely military viewpoint, extreme democratization, non-organizational viewpoint, absolute equalitarianism, subjectivism, adventurism, etc."

Possesses Foresight Mao was born in a turbulent time where

China was dubbed “the sick man in asia” and constantly suppressed by the Japanese and Western countries

Despite these adversities, Mao foresaw a China modelled by Marxist Communism to regain its international dominance.

Innovative

Ideas about class warfare

Developed his own version of Marxist Communism, also known as Maoism.

seemingly impossible for anyone to conjure the idea of turning against his own class, subjecting them to humiliating struggle and taking away their property

some have dubbed Mao as “the dreamer”

Charismatic

Mao was very charismatic to the Chinese people as he was seen to be a visionary and appealing to the peasants.

People hailed Mao as the Great Leader Chairman and National Hero.

Even today, some people regard Mao as the saviour of the people and a god-like figure.

Ruthless Would do anything to consolidate his power and

realise his vision for China.

Very strict about media censorship, preventing publications of any media anti-communism and promoting capitalism

During the 'Hundred Flowers Campaign‘, Mao invited suggestions and opinions from party members about how China should be governed.

It was said that Mao used this policy as a method of identifying and subsequently prosecuting his enemies.

Mao’s Leadership Style

Mao Zedong practiced the leadership style of transformational leadership.

Transformational leaders aims to achieve a positive change from the current situation with a vision in mind and are generally more task-oriented than people-oriented.


Transformational leaders are usually motivated by their vision or goal rather than to service and empower their people.

Transformational leaders are also usually more concerned about the achieved result than the development of his followers in the process


Mao is a typical Transformational leader.

This is evident from how he desired to achieve his goal and visions for China despite the sacrifices.(Loss of millions of lives)

The Cultural Revolution, inspired by his vision of a China that would be in “perpetual revolution” was carried despite the heavy prices of the destruction of heritage and loss of lives.


Comparison between characteristics of Transformational leaders and Servant leaders.Characteristics of Servant

LeadersCharacteristics of Transformational Leaders

More People Oriented More Task Oriented

Process Oriented Result Oriented

Believes in empowering and enabling others

Believes in doing what is most efficient for the result

Common Interest in the people

Common Interest in the organization

Are value and character driven

Are goal and profit driven

Is Mao a great leader?

We believe that Mao is an great leader.

Mao has fulfilled the first criteria of maintaining support of his people. During his reign, Mao was greatly supported by his followers and hailed as the “Great Leader”. Mao was named a national hero after his death and even today, some see him like a god-like figure and the saviour of the people.

Is Mao a great leader?

Next, Mao has also fulfilled the second criteria as he has indeed resulted in a significant change to China. Mao was known as the architect of modern China and his successes in the war against KuoMingTang and his various policies(E.g. The Great Leap Forward) has significantly shaped China.

Lastly, Mao have fulfilled the third criteria of having deep and lasting impacts on China. It was Mao’s policies that laid the grounds in China that made China’s current successes possible and Mao’s political ideology and philosophies continues to shape China and the way its citizens think.

Is Mao a good leader?

Our group believes that despite Mao’s significant impact on China, He is not a good leader.

This is because although Mao’s leadership has transformed China into a independent and powerful nation and laid the important foundations to China’s success, he does not possess the traits of a good leader. Furthermore, Mao’s actions has led to tremendous damage and the lost of millions of lives in China.


First, Mao does not possess any of the qualities of a good leader.

Mao showed no empathy towards his citizens and all of his actions are motivated by his own visions. This is evident from the Great Leap Forward, where widespread famine resulting in death occurred in China.

The Cultural Revolution reached resulted in huge damages to China was also based on his sole vision without understanding the needs of the Chinese.


Most importantly, Mao is not a good leader because of the damage he caused.

Mao’s policies have resulted in the huge loss of human lives. For example, in the cultural revolution, millions of intellectuals were persecuted and killed just for Mao’s consolidation of power.

In the consolidation of power, Mao was well known for sabotaging and executing political rivals. Deng Xiaoping was one of Mao’s rivals who survived the persecution.

Its is estimated that 50 - 80 Million people lost their lives as a result of Mao’s actions.

Blibliography

http://www.marxists.org/archive/foster/1955/history-three-internationals/mao.htm

http://famousrelationships.topsynergy.com/Mao_Zedong/Characteristics.asp

http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/employee-development-leadership/706051-1.html

http://history.culturalchina.com/en/46H9449H13450.html

http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mao-zedong-56.php

http://www.famous-quotes.com/author.php?aid=7936














“If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part

in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct

experience.”~ Mao Zedong

Thank you!

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Mao Zedong