We are pleased to introduce you, readers, to this thoughtful comparison of two political and intelligent giants in the 20th century who guided formerly colonized nations to independence. Gandhi and Mao's continuing relevance lies in their prioritization of empowering the disadvantaged and pursuing social change through mobilizing the people.
By Johan Galtung, 5 Oct 2009
Republished by
on the birthday of Mao Zedong-December 26, 2023.Last October, we had two important anniversary messages. One came through loud and clear in the Western media: the anniversary of the triumph of the Chinese Revolution, guided by Mao, restoring China to its own people, violently, on October 1.
The other message was considerably more subdued: the anniversary of the birth of Gandhi, the Father of the Indian nation, restoring India to its own people, nonviolently, on October 2.
Of course, the West focused on China, its military parades, its display of glittering affluence after decades of growth, true to its fasc…
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