Written in 1982 by Dennis Bloodworth, The Messiah and the Mandarins shows Mao's rise to power and methods to controlling China. The purpose of this book is to educate the general public about the use of propaganda and other materials as control, possibly to alert them to the possibility that it could happen again. The value in this source is that the author is not from or associated with Mao or China, and is not just publishing an elongated propaganda piece. This book was written after Mao's reign, and provides some historical perspective. The limitations for this source include the possible changes in translations and meaning since the author is not personally familiar with Mao's China.
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Leadership in Asia: Persuasive Communication..., by David Richman, explains Mao's campaigns and his ties with other (single-party state) leaders. The purpose of this book is to draw comparisons between Mao and other leaders, and explain the multi-faceted public face of Mao. The value of this book is the time period it spans (1850-1950), providing historical perspective, and the inclusion of other opinions than just those of Richman. The limitations of this source are the American bias, as well as that the book does not cover the last years of the Mao regime (-1976), providing a fragmented view of the time.
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