To what extent does Stalin and Mao’s foreign policy contribute to their maintenance of power?

Stalin Focuses on his internal affairs, using propaganda to suppress outside perspectives influencing his own people Neutral until 1939 Works to get nuclear weapons in order to be competitive with the US Violent in approach of communism Less about equality, more about whatever he says goes Not true communism, his own type: Stalinism Head of the comminterm Controlling relationship Doesn’t impact maintenance of power

Mao Differences in implementation of Communism cause split with USSR Maoism similar to Stalinism Bullied neighboring countries to submit to cooperation Independent as long as they pleased Mao Warmed relations with the United States Mao ill and sharing leadership responsibility with others Mostly US submitting to Chinese demands Little impact on maintenance of power

Compare and Contrast Similarities: Communists Isolationist with little communication with the West Controlled the media and thus their outwards perception Both put aside ideological differences to ally with capitalist forces to stop the tide of fascism

Differences Stalin was “self-made”, Mao had help rising to power Stalin sought to avoid an open war with the West while Mao did not share all the same reluctances Stalin could use nuclear weapons in his foreign policy, Mao for a long time couldn’t USSR had more international leverage than the Chinese

Perspective “A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.” -Mao “The only power comes from a long rifle” -Stalin

Strengths and Limitations: Initially, Stalin’s foreign policy almost caused his loss of power After World War Two, Stalin shifted his foreign policy as he became more aggressive Once this shift was consolidated Stalin’s foreign policy had negligible effect on his maintenance of power, however it laid an unstable foundation that led to his successors to be forced into precarious situations with former allies Mao had his threats to power caused by domestic policy Dissenting views on the Great Leap Forward Foreign policy of non-reliance on the USSR let Mao’s power not be in the shadow of the Soviets