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moiram's review against another edition
3.0
Liked is not exactly the right word. My brother gave me this, plus the Quotations of Chou en Lai and Quotations from Liu Shao Chi when I was in high school as a joke present, so I read them. I found them interesting from a historical perspective, as they were, or at least Mao was, still in power at the time.
andredias's review against another edition
dark
informative
1.5
The Little Red Book by Mao Zedong is a propagandist piece that glorifies a ruthless dictator responsible for the suffering and death of millions. The book serves as a tool for brainwashing and promoting a cult of personality, rather than presenting objective and thoughtful ideas. Mao's authoritarian regime, as endorsed in this book, led to disastrous policies such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, causing widespread famine, persecution, and the destruction of cultural heritage.
One of the major flaws of The Little Red Book is its lack of intellectual depth. Mao's simplistic and dogmatic approach to complex issues oversimplifies the nuances of governance and policy-making. The book promotes blind obedience to the leader, stifling critical thinking and dissent. The emphasis on ideological purity in the text suppresses individual freedoms and diversity of thought, contributing to a society marked by fear and conformity.
Furthermore, The Little Red Book presents a distorted version of history, whitewashing Mao's atrocities. It conveniently ignores the mass executions, forced labor camps, and the silencing of political opposition that characterized Mao's rule. This selective narrative undermines the credibility of the book as a source of historical or philosophical insight.
While acknowledging historical context, it is essential to critically assess the consequences of Mao's ideology. The Little Red Book may have had a role in shaping China's history, but its negative impact on individual liberties, human rights, and intellectual discourse cannot be ignored.
natnoble18's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
nmaltec's review against another edition
I... don’t know how to rate this. Dogmatic and propagandistic on the one hand, though charitably Marxist and refreshingly anti-Stalinistic on the other. Certainly pales a bit with/in context...