Mao Zedong and Chinese Rhetoric. A Brief Outline of Sources and Inspirations
Mao Zedong and Chinese Rhetoric. A Brief Outline of Sources and Inspirations

Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to sketch out key rhetorical motifs produced by the Chinese propaganda machine under Mao Zedong (1893–1976). In particular, the dominant themes of the 1950s and 1960s are discussed through the prism of both communist ideology and links with Chinese tradition and culture. To achieve this goal, key features of the Chinese language, a brief outline of distinctive features of Chinese rhetoric correlated with European tradition as well as the principles of Maoism as an ideology are presented. In the main section of this paper, an overview of five selected rhetorical themes, based on their popularity in everyday propaganda, is discussed. The final section contains research conclusions. One of the distinctive features of Maoist rhetoric is the fact that both ancient Chinese traditions and the authoritarian language of communist ideology were inherently interlinked. This paper is intended to better understand this unique connection and to gain an insight into the specific nature of the Maoist perspective on rhetoric and communication.

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