Mao

Profiles in Power

by Shaun Breslin, Šauns Breslins, Ilona Bērziņa (translator)

Gadiem ilgi Mao seja, rokraksts, rakstu darbi un tēls Ķīnā bija sastopami ik uz soļa. Dižā vadoņa pieminekļi dažādās pozās slējās daudzajos skolu, augstskolu un rūpnīcu pagalmos un pilsētu laukumos. Lai apgaismotu tautu, viņa runas pavairoja avīzēs un īpašos krājumos.
Kultūras revolūcijas laikā Mao tika iecelts gandrīz vai Dieva kārtā. Viņa tēls bija visuresošs, un politisku korektumu pārbaudīja pēc spējas citēt viņa vārdus, kā dārgumu iemūžinātus slavenajā "sarkanajā grāmatā". Pat visikdienišķākās sarunas sākās ar Mao cildinājumu: "Lai dzīvo priekšsēdētājs Mao!"
Šauna Breslina pētījums ir līdz šim labākais ievads modernās Ķīnas vēsturē un tā enigmātiskā vadoņa dzīvē. Tas raksturo Mao gan kā ģenerāli, pasaules lielākās valsts līderi teju 30 gadu garumā, gan kā ideologu, politisku manipulatoru un savas varaskāres upuri.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, China

179 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Shaun Breslin is Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick, United Kingdom.

Reviews

[Marcis.stauvers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Šauns Breslins ir politikas profesors Varvikas universitatē. Viņš tiek uzskatīts par vienu no vadošajiem Ķīnas politikas un ekonomikas ekspertiem. Viņa ciešā saistība ar Ķīnu atklājas viņa gramatās. Mao ir viņa populārākais darbs, kas stāsta par Ķīnas komunistiskās partijas vadoni Mao Dzedunu un viņa dzīvi. Šī autobiogrāfija sīki atklāj faktus par Mao dzīvi un veidu kādā viņš ar domubiedriem ilgā ceļā nokļuva pie varas Ķīnā. Gadiem ilgi Mao seja, rokraksts un tēls Ķīnā bija sastopami ik uz soļa. Kultūras revolūcijas laikā Mao tika iecelts gandrīz vai Dieva kārtā. Viņam iegūt varu nenācās viegli, jo bija daudz šķēršļu, kas kavēja viņa ieceres, tomēr beigās ar neatlaidību un ticību savai idejai viņš panāca savu. Grāmatas valoda ir vienkārša un lieki neizskaistināta. Izmantoti daudz nomenklatūras nosaukumi, kas saistīti ar Ķīnu. Šī vienkāršā valoda ir pietikoši izsmeļoša. Šī autobiogrāfija bija ļoti intersanta. Bija iespēja pa šķirbu paskatīties diža cilvēka domāšanā. No viņ var daudz mācīties. Noteikti iesaku šo grāmatu izlasīt visiem, kas interesējas par spēcīgām un lielām vēstures personībām.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first delving into the Chinese Communist Leader other than what I have read in other history books. I marked this one as a four due to the small amount of historical content. I will need to read some other texts to get a firmer grasp of Mao.

For a quick read, this book would be perfect as a supplement to someone who has an understanding of Communist China's early history. The book covers the rise of an obscure communist leader who successfully pushes the Nationalist Chinese out of the country (without outside assistance) and lays the foundation for China's emergence as a superpower. The book is also alive with coverage of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution along with the political intriques thrown in for flavor. Overall a very interesting read and I look forward to learning more about Mao and Communist China.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel this book cannot be read as a first introduction to 20th century Chinese history. It's chronology can be hard to follow and it does not properly represent the atrocities and tragedies that befell China. Millions were executed, starved, or worked to death. With background knowledge, this book provides interesting perspectives and ties together historical events. But it paints a far less graphic brush than I feel is necessary when discussing such a pivotal man. The book itself states that a "great-man" look at history is often ineffective and misleading. However, in the case of Mao, he is synonymous with China during his time as Chairman and is directly responsible for a great amount of suffering. This book does not adequately capture the gravity of that suffering. Which is fine, if that is not this book's purpose. So I emplore those reading this to do further study of China during this period.

[Sofia Guyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breslin makes Mao sound so cnty like what do you mean he turned off his hearing aids so he didn’t have to listen to Deng Xiaoping

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a short book, this is ijmpressively comprehensive, even if not always flowing.
Mao was a bad dude in a lot of ways. His simple minded thoughts led to millions of deaths. I'm sure he was smart in many ways, but he allowed his silly ideological thoughts to guide matters that needed a more nuanced analysis. At the same time, I'm sure many people would be surprised to learn how commies were hardly of like minds. The USSR and CCP had very different views on how communist countries should govern. And this caused real problems in their ability work with each other. In fact, the USSR and PRC got along no better, and at times much worse, than the US did with either of them. Finally, the leaders of the USSR and PRC rejected some of the most important aspects of Marxist communism when the leaders felt it hurt their senses of nationalism and personal power. Sometimes it is hard to tell where Lenin's, Stalin's, and Mao's beliefs in Marxism faded, and where their cold calculations of nation and self-preservation kicked in.

[Hiep Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A succinct snapshot of Mao's politics life as well as impact of his policies over China throughout various stages. The book also depicts rather detailed his plots to seize power in the government by wisely leveraging his supporters & policies. Yet, the story telling way is sometimes not in order regarding timelines, causing moderate difficulty to keep track.