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The Chinese people, sad but hardly surprised began to consider their future last night without their country’s “great helmsman.”
Mao Tse-tung, maker of the Chinese revolution for more than half a century, died in Peking yesterday morning in his 83rd year. A prepared statement from the Chinese collective leadership lamented the death of “the greatest Marxist of the contemporary era.” It urged all Chinese “to rally around the Central Committee of the Communist Party.”
Mao died just after midnight on Thursday (Peking time) according to the Chinese radio which broadcast the news nearly 16 hours later. His death occurred, the radio said, “because of the worsening of his illness and despite all treatment.” He had not been seen publicly since the end of May when he briefly received his last foreign visitor, Mr Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Mao has left his mark on China. He shattered traditional restraints and urged Chinese (especially the young) to stand up and struggle for Socialism. But his death comes uneasily soon after the major struggle within the party leadership caused by the death of Chou En-lai in January. In April, this led to the dismissal of Chou’s expected successor, Teng Hsiao-ping.
Yesterday’s official announcement emphasises that the Chinese must “resolutely uphold the unity and unification of the party, “in an evident reference to the divisions which have appeared. It also stresses that China must continue to carry out Mao Tse-tung’s line on foreign affairs - the policy which led to detente with the United States and Peking’s entry to the United Nations.
The immediate political task (though not mentioned in the announcement) will be to fill the position held by Mao since 1945. He was chairman of the Chinese Communist Party. This must be done at a full session of the party’s Central Committee, but this body was badly split earlier this year over the case of Teng. It may find it difficult to decide on Mao’s successor.
There is no obvious candidate who can match Mao’s ability to reconcile different political factions. The man with most influence in the party is Vice-Premier Chang Chun-chiao who helped Mao lead the Cultural Revolution. But Premier Hua Kuo-feng, as the party’s first Vice-Chairman, could hold the ring.
Other possible names include those of the radical theorist, Yao Wen-yuan, and the party Vice-Chairman, Wang Hung-wen, though both are comparatively young. Mao’s outspoken wife, Chiang Ching, is unlikely to be widely supported and could now be vulnerable to criticism for her recent behaviour. A popular figure, though lacking political experience, is the peasant leader, Chen Yung-kuei.
Mao has not appeared before the Chinese public since May Day, 1971, but he held frequent and lively meetings with foreign visitors until his withdrawal in June, this year.
In one of his last audiences Mao again showed his liking for friends of China and enemies of the Soviet Union by welcoming ex-President Nixon to Peking.
Mao was believed to have had at least two strokes in his last years, but no official bulletins were issued about his health.
He is thought to have suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, although this was held in check by drugs for a long time. Even when his speech began to deteriorate he still showed his usual zest to grasp fresh information and to sum up the affairs of the world in his sweeping, confident style.
Mao was a complex man behind simple slogans. He led China on a successful but difficult, path – particularly in the latest years of Cultural Revolution. He has commanded admiration perhaps more than love; respect as much as affection, never speaking nor circulating widely in public. In spite of the personal hagiography it was the thought, above all, which inspired so many millions.
This is an edited extract. Read more here
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