Machiavelli and Mao Zedong, the Comparison Across Centuries

Abstract

With similar background conditions of the two great political thinkers, Mao Zedong and Machiavelli shared some similar political wisdom in gaining and ruling the throne. However, as a Communist that innately has a significant number of idealistic beliefs and doctrines within, Mao differed greatly from a purely pragmatic politician. This paper analyzes the similarities and differences in thoughts between Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China, and Machiavelli, the famous Italian Renaissance writer who introduced realism and pragmaticism to the European world. Mao’s political career is divided into two primary stages in this essay, which are the pre-proclamation and post-proclamation of the formation of People’s Republic of China. The differences in time eras and political ideologies between Mao and Machiavelli made Mao unable to be qualified entirely as a Machiavellian. Rather, Mao should be considered as a pragmatic Communist leader with realist traits similar to the ones discussed in Machiavelli’s books and thoughts.