海角大神

A controversial political manifesto is being republished in China and some observers say it represents a revival of old political ideology in modern China.

Communist leader Mao Tse-tung鈥檚 鈥淨uotations from Chairman Mao,鈥� better known as 鈥淟ittle Red Book,鈥� is being republished in China in November, decades after Maoism faded in the communist nation.

The move marks the 120th anniversary of Mao鈥檚 birth. But it also signals a slightly more ominous development: Chinese leader Xi Jinping鈥檚 embrace of Maoist philosophy.

According to the UK鈥檚 Guardian, 鈥淭he re-emergence of 鈥楺uotations from Chairman Mao鈥�... comes amid an official revival of the era's rhetoric. China's leader, Xi Jinping, has embraced Maoist terminology and concepts launching a "mass line rectification campaign" and this week even presiding over a televised self-criticism session.鈥�

Some have likened China鈥檚 mass line rectification campaign 鈥� an attempt to disavow corruption and reinforce the Communist Party鈥檚 ties with the masses 鈥� to Mao鈥檚 鈥渕ass line鈥� campaigns to purge the party of corrupt leaders.

The founding father of the People鈥檚 Republic of China, Mao transformed the nation into a single-party socialist state. According to some historians, he was also responsible for the deaths of some 40 to 70 million Chinese through starvation, forced labor, and executions.

A follower of Marxist and Leninist ideology, Mao was widely influential in China. The 1966 鈥淨uotations from Chairman Mao,鈥� a book of select sayings from Mao鈥檚 speeches, became required reading in China as well as one of the most printed books in history. More than a billion copies of the 鈥淟ittle Red Book鈥� were printed during China鈥檚 Cultural Revolution, making it the second-most printed book in the world after the Bible, according to some sources.

The book fell from favor as China embarked on a path of reform, but the book 鈥� and, perhaps, the ideology it represents 鈥� is returning.

In addition to original content, the republished book will include previously unpublished sayings of Mao, as well as rectify distorted quotes and quotes wrongly attributed to him.

Its publishers say they have no political motivations in republishing 鈥淨uotations,鈥� but some see it as a revival of Maoist ideology.

Daniel Leese, author of 鈥淢ao Cult鈥� and an expert on China鈥檚 Cultural Revolution at the University of Freiburg in Germany, told the Guardian the book was a 鈥渢rial balloon鈥� from Maoist sympathizers. 鈥淚f they hadn鈥檛 seen how the general tone towards the Maoist heritage had changed, I don鈥檛 think they would have dared,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is party internal politics popping up in the public sphere.鈥�

Echoed political scientist Zhang Ming, 鈥淸Chinese leader] Xi believes in Maoism. He wants to completely revive Mao鈥檚 policy and he has already started it.鈥澛�

Those who agree with Ming say the 鈥淟ittle Red Book鈥� is a first step.

Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.