Mao: A Reinterpretation

by Lee Feigon

In recent years historians and political observers have vilified Mao Tse-tung and placed him in a class with tyrants like Hitler and Stalin. But, as Lee Feigon points out in his startling revision of Mao, the Chinese leader has been tainted by the actions and policies of the same Soviet-style Communist bureaucrats he came to hate and attempted to eliminate. Mr. Feigon argues that the movements for which Mao is almost universally condemned today―the Great Leap Forward and especially the Cultural Revolution―were in many ways beneficial for the Chinese people. They forced China to break with its Stalinist past and paved the way for its great economic and political strides in recent years. While not glossing over Mao's mistakes, some of which had heinous consequences, Mr. Feigon contends that Mao should be largely praised for many of his later efforts―such as the attacks he began to level in the late 1950s on those bureaucrats responsible for many of the problems that continue to plague China today. In reevaluating Mao's contributions, this interpretive study reverses the recent curve of criticism, seeing Mao's late-in-life contributions to the Chinese revolution more favorably while taking a more critical view of his earlier efforts. Whereas most studies praise the Mao of the 1930s and 1940s as an original and independent thinker, Mr. Feigon contends that during this period his ideas and actions were fairly ordinary―but that he depended much more on Stalin's help than has been acknowledged. Mao: A Reinterpretation seeks a more informed perspective on one of the most important political leaders of the twentieth century.

Genres: China, History, Biography, Nonfiction, Politics

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2002

About the author

Lee Feigon is an American historian who specialized in the study of 20th-century Chinese history.

In 2002 he published Mao: A Reinterpretation, a work of historical revisionism that sought to highlight what Feigon saw as the positive aspects of Mao Zedong's political leadership. He subsequently used that book as a basis for his 2006 documentary The Passion of the Mao.

He has written for such U.S. publications as The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, The Nation, The Chicago Tribune, The Atlantic, and The Boston Globe.

Reviews

[Abel Mora · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Mao bio for me. It's written from a more modern perspective, as a sort of biography that takes into account all previous Mao biographies and well agreed-upon Maoist opinions, from both Eastern and Western thinkers. The author criticizes those opinions, supports others, and brings out new evidence to support his more or less defensive arguments in favor of Mao. By the end of the biography, and along with the final assessment chapter he gives, Mao is painted in a more or less positive light. Some points made include that despite popular report and opinion, during the Maoist era, industrial growth was actually higher than every post-Mao year, and education and other categories as well. So basically, although Mao messed up a lot, this biography tries to show that he did have his merits. The leader of the masses, vanquisher of the Stalinistic bureaucracy, revolutionary stalwart of the people. Haha

[Franco Forte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good interpretation of a titan works. Mao transformed China in just 20 years when US took 100. China has been humiliated since the First Boxer War (1839) till the Second Japanese Invasion (1945) plus two devastatings Civil Wars: Dungan and Taiping. Feigon uses humor and sarcasm to present a completely diferent Mao that the Western World fabricated after the defeats of Generalisimo Chiang, Korean War and Viet War. Mao was and still is a Hero in China. Book well written and controversial. revisionist for conservatives.

[Klaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as the first bio on Mao. I am not sure that this is a good one from the fact base but it was partly convincing. And it wasn't too long.
I will definitely read another bio on Mao to get the full picture.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valuable for anyone interested in Mao and China.

[Carmel Valley Middle School · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by JP (Grade 7). Quality title. The author looks at Mao from a positive perspective. Very interesting.

[midsizedchillybin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly refreshing to read an account of Mao’s life that doesn’t settle for “wow that guy was CRAZY hey??”. Establishes a solid historical context that explains the reasoning behind a lot of his decisions and explains why you can’t just blame all the failings on him. At points it does maybe go too far to try and remove ANY blame from Mao, but as a course correction I think it’s a pretty great read.

[Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much too brief to be effective in its argumentation, though it does prove to be an refreshingly balanced account.

[Redpoet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing new or of note here. I finish most everything I start but I couldn't figure out why I was reading this book which was just a rehash of numerous rehashes. I quit...