Born in 1893 in Shaoshan, China His father was a poor peasant who was able to become a landowner and businessman Received a basic education and learned a lot about political and economic problems in China (e.g. widespread famines)

Moved to Peking in 1918 and worked for a Marxist thinker Quickly became a strong believer in Communism and edited radical magazines, organized trade unions, and started schools of his own. Became one of the 50 founding members of the Chinese Communist Party Failed in his early attempts to be a leader in the Party and his role in Party activities was decreased dramatically

Mao went back to his hometown and had very little communication with the Party He studied the peasants and learned about their financial situation and the ways they were being abused by the landowning class His new knowledge of the peasants allowed him to rise again as a leader in the Party, where he advocated that peasants should lead the revolution

The Communist Party worked with another political group called the Kuomintang to kick out the foreign powers in China By 1941, the parties turned on each other in a struggle for power Mao emerged as a major military leader and quickly gained power

“[A] great many so-called intellectuals are actually exceedingly unlearned... The knowledge of workers and peasants is sometimes greater than theirs.” “Books cannot walk, and you can open and close a book at will; this is the easiest thing in the world to do, a great deal easier than it is for the cook to prepare a meal... [or] for him to slaughter a pig.”

Mao became the chairman of the Communist Central Committee All the leaders in the party praised him and encouraged people to listen to his wisdom In 1943, several leaders in the Party began to rewrite Chinese Party history so that Mao would be seen as responsible for all the advances of the Party

“The Chinese Communist Party takes Mao Zedong’s thought – the thought that unites Marxist-Leninist theory and the practice of the Chinese revolution – as the guide for all its work, and opposes all dogmatic or empiricist deviations.” ~Preamble to the Constitution of the Communist Party

The Communists defeated the Kuomintang and took complete control of China in 1949 Mao’s ideas formed the basis for all Party activities and government decisions They took control of the media and the education system and began taking land away from the wealthy and distributing it among all people

Attempt to modernize China People were forced to grow grain and melt metals down to produce steel Led to widespread famine and death Damaged Mao’s reputation

Mao needed a comeback He organized students and mobilized them throughout the country to spread his ideas and wipe out anyone who tried to contradict him He created an extremely effective propaganda campaign that again brought him back to power.