Sun Junjian | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

The author presents a very innovative work which has created a precedent for the completely study of Mao Tse-Tung’s theory of international politics.

Firstly, the author discusses major viewpoints and principles of rights in international politics studies in mainland China and concludes that a dialectical integration of viewpoints on rights, power and interests should be a better way to look into Mao’s international political theory, which is characterized by human-centered, law-accorded and law-based principles.

Secondly, it analyzes the background and theoretical origin of Mao’s international political theory. The author argues that Mao inherited the essence of Chinese traditional culture, borrowed Marxist’ theories, some theories of western international politics and modern western theories of human rights, and combined them in the Chinese context and gradually refined his theories in the later revolutions.

Thirdly, based on the illustration of Mao’s major topics towards epoch, power, order and strategy, the author indicates that (1) Mao fully inherited the essence of Lenin’s views that the direction of modern times is the demise of imperialism and the incoming of proletariat’s revolution, and believed that human beings would be liberated by this revolution. More importantly, Mao creatively proposed that peace is another epochal topic besides revolution; (2) in line with the viewpoints of Intelligence Bureau of Workers’ Party, i.e. the international political power was divided into two groups in post-war times, Mao showed that the two groups held two different political values on rights, power and interests and thought that the two systems co-existed in a dialectical way. However, he emphasized the status and the role of ‘Middle Zone’ between the two groups in international power competition. (3) Mao’s principles of nation’s self-determination, nation’s equal status and “five principles of peaceful co-existence are the real basis of a just and rational international political order with an aim to protect nation’s and states’ rights; (4) the goal of Mao’s international political strategy is to maintain world peace and national security of its territory.

In addition, the author analyzes Mao’s value orientation towards international politics from the perspective of rights, and concludes that Mao’s values are based on the opposition to the great powers and the protection of nation’s sovereign interests. Finally, the author indicates that Mao’s international politics towards uniting and protecting the weak groups in the international society is of theoretical significance.