Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Mao Zedong was a Chinese communist revolutionary leader who founded the People's Republic of China. He implemented various policies such as land reform, collectivization, and cultural revolution during his rule.
Related terms
Great Leap Forward: Mao Zedong's economic and social campaign aimed at rapidly transforming China into an industrialized nation.
Cultural Revolution: A sociopolitical movement initiated by Mao Zedong to preserve communist ideology and eliminate perceived counter-revolutionary elements in Chinese society.
Long March: The strategic retreat of the Red Army led by Mao Zedong during the Chinese Civil War, which solidified his leadership within the Communist Party.