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The leadership theories and practices

of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping

xin-an lu and jie lu

N

O ONEin the history of the People’s Republic of China

(PRC) could replace Mao Zedong (or Mao Tse-tung) and

Deng Xiaoping, the former mainly remembered as the

founding father of the Republic, and the latter, as the architect of

China’s economic reforms. Studies of Chinese leadership theory and

practice cannot afford to ignore these two figures. Investigation of the

distinct leadership theories and practices of these two individuals will

enrich the understanding of leadership from a global perspective.

This chapter gives brief biographies of Mao Zedong and Deng

Xiaoping, explains their major leadership theories, philosophies, and

practices, and compares their distinct leadership styles and personali-

ties. In synopsis, Mao in his leadership philosophy believed in ‘‘seeking

truth from facts,’’ the ‘‘analytical dialectics of contradiction,’’ and ‘‘serv-

ing the people.’’ Mao’s leadership practice is largely one of the ‘‘mass

line’’ and ‘‘democratic centralism.’’ Deng, however, believed in reform-

ism and pragmatism in his leadership philosophy. To fulfill his pragmatic

reforms, Deng practiced experimentalism and gradualism as his instru-

mentality. Despite the important similarities in their thoughts on leader-

ship, Mao and Deng seemed to contrast sharply in their leadership

methods andstyles.Maowasmoreidealisticandholistic,anda visionary

on nationalism; Deng, in contrast, was more realistic, details-oriented,

and a visionary on economic development. It is hoped that these intro-

ductions to Mao and Deng will contribute to a broader understanding

of leadership theory and practice from a global perspective.

Mao Zedong’s leadership theory and practice

A biography of Mao Zedong (1893–1976)

Born in the village of Shaoshan, Hunan province in south-east central

China, the son of a farmer, Mao was the leader and leading theorist of

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