Burying Mao

the long version

For almost two decades after Mao Zedong's death, a contest was waged in China between orthodox Marxists and reformers. With Deng Xiaoping's strong support, the reformers ultimately won; but they--and China--paid a heavy price. Here, Richard Baum provides a guide to the intricate theater of post-Mao Chinese politics. He tells the story of an escalating intergenerational clash of ideas and values between the aging revolutionaries of the Maoist era and their younger, more pragmatic successors. --From publisher's description.