Who do present Chinese generation respect more between Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping?
My answer is anecdotal and is not based on “pure” research. It’s more hearsay and is limited to a particular part of the country. My students (masters/PhD) respect the fact that Mao Zedong unified the country and made it the modern China they know. However, they do not respect the huge failures he had (Great Leap Forward). They do not like his cult personality, nor his heavy-handed approach of government. At the same time, they do like Deng Xiaoping because he is considered to be the father of economic reform. Deng Xiaoping got rid of commune style farming (started by Mao) and returned farms to the locals which resulted in increased production and individual profit. Most of my students are from farming backgrounds, so they feel that Deng Xiaoping improved their lives while Mao Zedong created misery in their lineage. Deng’s legacy includes actions taken 20 years ago at Tian’anmen Square. Here in the Northwest, people simply ignore that. It was something that happened long ago and far aw
