'MAO: the unknown story' by Jung Chang (my book report)

[jakem]

I am not all the way through - don't tell me how it ends! (joking), but the lessons to be learned are quite stunning-

MAO, who was apparently not a very skilled leader of people, nor a qualified military commander in any way, rose to power through the following means:

- an acute sense of who would be loyal and obedient in subordinate positions
- ruthless and brutal actions, beyond the scope of what others can imagine or counteract
- complete disregard for the fall of others (even of the same party) to take the blame
- lies and deceit, even to the party to which he supposedly belongs
- keeping enforcement of law on track by instilling fear into the enforcers

I do not mean to trivialize MAO or unnecessarily demonize Palin (among others), but it is fascinating. And, sadly, i think relevant to the politics we face today.

The book is a page-turning look at the unfiltered history of Maoist China. Recommended.
I dearly hope it is not as relevant as it seems to be.


--end of report--


(i can double-space it, if it was not long enough!)

[jakem]

1. im bumping it once because i think it is interesting, and has nothing to do with lipstick.

ok, now you can go back to the minutia of media spin...

:hi: