Chairman Mao

Leader of the Chinese Communist Party from 1949 until his death in 1976, Chairman Mao reshaped the nation's course of history, founding the People's Republic of China and implementing sweeping socio-political reforms that dramatically changed the country. However, his rule was marred with controversies and disastrous policies, leading to widespread suffering, trauma, and ultimately the deaths of millions.

In the first episode of our new Dictators series, James is joined by author Jung Chang to talk about her and her family's experiences under Mao's rule, and to help shed a light on who exactly Mao was. Looking at the devastating loss' she faced during the Cultural Revolution, her eventual move to the UK, and how Mao's political relationships reached even to Russia - what legacy has Mao rule left on not only China, but the rest of the globe?

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