There have been many books on Mao Zedong, but few can match this study on Mao Zedong Thought by Wang Fanxi. Wang, a leading Chinese Trotskyist, was a contemporary of Mao in the early Chinese Communist Party. He also worked in Shanghai in the late 1920s as an aide to Zhou Enlai, after Wang’s return from two years in Moscow. Written more than fifty years ago, this outstanding analysis has stood the test of time as a critical appraisal from within the Marxist tradition of Maoism as a political current. After 1949, Wang was forced to live out his life in exile, first in Macau and then in England. He remained a revolutionary until his death in 2002, and kept up a lively commentary on the Chinese Revolution until the 1990s. His book remains indispensable to anyone interested in a serious appraisal of Mao Zedong.
This launch will be addressed by speakers including old friends and comrades of Wang and Chinese revolutionary activists:
Gregor Benton, a prominent historian of the Chinese Revolution, was Wang’s close collaborator and friend for many years, and his translator. Gregor edited, translated and wrote the introduction for this edition.
Pierre Rousset is a veteran member of the leadership of the Fourth International focusing on Asia. He is a member of the NPA in France [he has been unable to participate.].
Au Loong Yu has been a long-time activist in Hong Kong and helped publish Wang Fanxi’s writings in Chinese.
Chair: Promise Li is a member of Lausan 流傘 Collective and and a former tenant organizer in Los Angeles Chinatown. He is also active in socialist organisations from the Democratic Socialists of America to Solidarity (U.S.)
The session will be around 90 minutes and there will be time for questions from the audience.
Recorded on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/mz23H7iTaWM
https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1639-mao-zedong-thought
Also in Hard Cover - https://brill.com/view/title/36040
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