7 The 100 Most Influential World Leaders of All Time 7

Unlike most rulers of rightist authoritarian regimes,
Franco provided for the continuity of his government
after his death through an official referendum in 1947. It
made the Spanish state a monarchy and ratified Franco’s
powers as a sort of regent for life. In 1967 he opened direct
elections for a small minority of deputies to the parliament.
In 1969, Franco officially designated the then 32-year-old
prince Juan Carlos—the eldest son of the nominal pre-
tender to the Spanish throne—as his official successor
upon his death. Franco resigned his position of premier in
1973 but retained his functions as head of state, com-
mander in chief of the armed forces, and head of the
Movement. Franco died in 1975 following a long illness.

Mao Zedong

(b. Dec. 26, 1893, Shaoshan, Hunan Province, China—d. Sept. 9,
1976, Beijing)

M

ao Zedong was a Chinese Marxist theorist, soldier,
and statesman who led his nation’s Communist
revolution. Leader of the Chinese Communist Party
from 1935, he was chairman of the People’s Republic of
China from 1949 to 1959 and chairman of the party until
his death.

Early Years

Born in the village of Shaoshan in Hunan Province, Mao
was the son of a former peasant who had become affluent
as a farmer and grain dealer. Mao’s schooling was inter-
mittent. During the Revolution of 1911–12 (to overthrow
the Qing dynasty), he served in the army for six months.
After that he drifted for a while without goals, but he
managed to graduate from the First Provincial Normal