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Book Synopsis*** WINNER OF THE 2019 CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2019SHORTLISTED FOR THE NAYEF AL-RODHAN PRIZE FOR GLOBAL UNDERSTANDINGSHORTLISTED FOR DEUTSCHER PRIZELONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING***
'Revelatory and instructive… [a] beautifully written and accessible book’ The TimesFor decades, the West has dismissed Maoism as an outdated historical and political phenomenon. Since the 1980s, China seems to have abandoned the utopian turmoil of Mao’s revolution in favour of authoritarian capitalism. But Mao and his ideas remain central to the People’s Republic and the legitimacy of its Communist government. With disagreements and conflicts between China and the West on the rise, the need to understand the political legacy of Mao is urgent and growing.
The power and appeal of Maoism have extended far beyond Chi