What Is Maoism?
Maoism is the doctrine of revolution developed by Mao Zedong and his associates in the Chinese Communist Party, from the 1920s until Mao's death in 1976. Britannica describes it as resting on an outlook not necessarily… Part of the Socialist family.
Definition
Maoism is the doctrine of revolution developed by Mao Zedong and his associates in the Chinese Communist Party, from the 1920s until Mao's death in 1976. Britannica describes it as resting on an outlook not necessarily dependent on a Chinese or Marxist–Leninist context.
Core ideas
- An ideology and method for revolution.
- Mass campaigns such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution under Mao's leadership.
Origins
China, from the 1920s until 1976.
Associated thinkers and leaders
Definition based on Britannica: Maoism (checked October 20, 2026).
Where Maoism sits on the Atlas maps
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 1 | strongly toward collective / planned | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 53 | near the center | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 88 | strongly toward authoritarian | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 82 | toward nationalist | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 46 | near the center |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 0 | strongly toward collective ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 78 | toward state restrictions |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 82 | toward nationalist |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 61 | near the center |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 98 | strongly toward autocratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 48 | near the center |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 97 | strongly toward state planning |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 46 | near the center |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 35 | toward secular state |
These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the tradition’s core principles through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.
Estimated positions on key questions
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Religious doctrine should take precedence over civil law when they conflict. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Major industries should be publicly owned rather than privately controlled. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| National borders should become less important over time. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| A strong leader who gets things done matters more than following proper procedures. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Markets generally distribute goods more effectively than government planners. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| National security can justify restrictions on what journalists publish. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Reducing the gap between rich and poor should be a major government goal. | Agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Non-intervention should be the default even when allies request military assistance. | Disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Medical gender transition should not be available to minors. | Agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| The financial sector should be operated primarily as a public service. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
Related ideologies
Main differences from the closest ideologies
- Compared with State Socialism, Maoism sits 8 points further toward nationalist on the national identity dimension.
- Compared with Marxism–Leninism, Maoism sits 9 points further toward non-intervention on the foreign policy dimension.
- Compared with Authoritarian Socialism, Maoism sits 10 points further toward nationalist on the national identity dimension.
Comparisons
Figures with the closest estimated positions
Closeness of estimated positions only; this does not mean these people identify with Maoism.
Sources
- Britannica: Maoism
- Wikipedia: Maoism (Wikipedia search)
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Karl Marx
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Socialism
Position last reviewed: not yet reviewed individually.