I would argue that it is the very definition of revisionism (that term itself is overused but it is applicable as Maoism claims to be different from Marxism-Leninism through some sort of “rupture” with the previous philosophy).
But other than that, Mao Zedong Thought was created by Mao. Mao always claimed to be a Marxist-Leninist first and foremost. Maoism simply meant, before the 1980s, that you supported Mao and the PRC during the Sino-Soviet split. After the 1980s, it came to mean Gonzalo’s creed. Maoists claim that the Soviet model is superior and the only form of socialism. They also believe that the different model of the 1980s onward during Reform and Opening Up is bad and anti-communist or some sort of capitalist restoration. Maoists do not like China. They idolize the “cultural revolution” but say that Mao “didn’t go far enough” and that he was basically too tepid (and that the Gang of Four would’ve gone further than he would and be a natural extension of the communist experiment).
Maoists have also turned out to be anti-communist or at least anti-other-communist in nature, as they have fought and killed other communist groups that are pro-Soviet, even at the expense of liberation forces in Latin America and Africa (and to the win of pro-imperialist forces by the USA and Europe).
White Supremacy Confronted by Gerald Horne talks somewhat about this.
Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought is used to denote Marxism Leninism whilst recognising the contributions of Mao, However usually this is assumed within Marxism Leninism and only used to denote distance itself from Marxism-Leninism-Maoism also known as Maoism.
Marxism-Leninism-Maoism also known as Maoism (in the modern day ) is a creation of Gonzalo of The Shining Path in Peru and is characterized by an insistence of using the methods of Mao Zedong as universally applicable methods in any country or time (Protracted People’s War)
^this is a dogmatic approach and ironically exactly what Mao himself explicitly states one should avoid.
tldr; Maoism/MLM (in the west particularly) is a form of left opportunism (impatient, dogmatic, inflexible) that functions as
: harmful to the local community in its inappropriate application of methods that worked in different places & times
: anti-communist and lacking in foresight with regards to AES (actually existing socialism) and therefore functionally supportive of imperialism
Wait, why is Maoism bad in this case?
I would argue that it is the very definition of revisionism (that term itself is overused but it is applicable as Maoism claims to be different from Marxism-Leninism through some sort of “rupture” with the previous philosophy).
But other than that, Mao Zedong Thought was created by Mao. Mao always claimed to be a Marxist-Leninist first and foremost. Maoism simply meant, before the 1980s, that you supported Mao and the PRC during the Sino-Soviet split. After the 1980s, it came to mean Gonzalo’s creed. Maoists claim that the Soviet model is superior and the only form of socialism. They also believe that the different model of the 1980s onward during Reform and Opening Up is bad and anti-communist or some sort of capitalist restoration. Maoists do not like China. They idolize the “cultural revolution” but say that Mao “didn’t go far enough” and that he was basically too tepid (and that the Gang of Four would’ve gone further than he would and be a natural extension of the communist experiment).
Maoists have also turned out to be anti-communist or at least anti-other-communist in nature, as they have fought and killed other communist groups that are pro-Soviet, even at the expense of liberation forces in Latin America and Africa (and to the win of pro-imperialist forces by the USA and Europe).
White Supremacy Confronted by Gerald Horne talks somewhat about this.
TIL. I thought the two terms were the same, so I was confused because I thought “wait, China still uses Mao’s teachings doesn’t it? Why is it bad?”
Thanks!
No problem!
But yes, Maoism since the 1980s is based on Gonzalo’s creed, nothing more, nothing less.
Maoism is always bad x)
Why? And how is it different from Mao Zedong Thought like another user stated?
Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought is used to denote Marxism Leninism whilst recognising the contributions of Mao, However usually this is assumed within Marxism Leninism and only used to denote distance itself from Marxism-Leninism-Maoism also known as Maoism.
Marxism-Leninism-Maoism also known as Maoism (in the modern day ) is a creation of Gonzalo of The Shining Path in Peru and is characterized by an insistence of using the methods of Mao Zedong as universally applicable methods in any country or time (Protracted People’s War)
^this is a dogmatic approach and ironically exactly what Mao himself explicitly states one should avoid.
tldr; Maoism/MLM (in the west particularly) is a form of left opportunism (impatient, dogmatic, inflexible) that functions as : harmful to the local community in its inappropriate application of methods that worked in different places & times : anti-communist and lacking in foresight with regards to AES (actually existing socialism) and therefore functionally supportive of imperialism