What is Maoism?

November 26, 2010 at 11:07 am (Uncategorized)

Maoism, in its simplest sense, is the set of policies and concepts embodied and implemented by the Chinese leader Mao Zedong (also spelt Mao Tse-Tung). Mao was greatly influenced by Marxist-Leninist thought and proclaimed this Communist manifesto and ideology throughout the Chinese Civil War until the victory for the Chinese Communist Party in 1947. However, for practical reasons he had to make changes to the ideology and after his break with the Soviet Union, Mao regularly changed policies to indicate the independence of his thought and of the concept of “Chinese characteristics.”

Godard and Maoism
Beginning in the late 1960s, Maoism was the adopted religion of Jean-Luc Godard, who at that time was considered Europe’s greatest film director. (Maoism is revolutionary Chinese dictator Mao Zedong’s version of Marxist Communism. Maoism, which was known in China as Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tse-tung Thought, was the principle ideology enforced throughout China during and after the Communist uprising known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, or, more commonly, the Cultural Revolution.) Godard looked to Chairman Mao as a prophet of revolution, who had brought the world a new system whereby the world could be transformed for everyone. Godard actively read and promoted the Mao’s Little Red Book, the principle Maoist scriptural text. Godard was a devout Maoist and worked to advance Maoist political and ideological ideals throughout Europe and North America. At that time, Chinese as well as European Maoist missionaries actively proselyted in Europe.

Available from: [Image]http://library.thinkquest.org/26469/images/mzd12.jpg [Accessed: 16 Nov 2010]
Available from: http://socyberty.com/politics/what-is-maoism/#ixzz16gCn6NJ1 [Accessed: 16 Nov 2010]
Available from: http://www.adherents.com/people/pg/Jean_Luc_Godard.html [Accessed: 16 Nov 2010]