Mao Zedong

For a man who would become the champion of the poor, Mao Zedong's beginnings were surprisingly privileged. Born into a wealthy landowning family in Shaoshan, Hunan, young Mao once defended his father's farm from starving peasants during a famine. Ironically, that same boy would later lead a movement that empowered those very peasants to violently seize land from the rich across rural China. Mao Zedong was a revolutionary who sought to dismantle imperialist systems—yet he often ruled with the same absolute authority as the emperors he despised. A master of contradictions, he was both a pragmatic leader and an idealist, a liberator and an oppressor. This book explores the many faces of Mao, from his early years to the height of his power and the lasting impact he left on China and the world. Duration - 1h 1m. Author - Hourly History. Narrator - Sean Tivenan. Published Date - Wednesday, 07 January 2026. Copyright - © 2017 Hourly History ©.