Mao proved to be good at fighting but poor at governing . Mao pushed sweeping socio-economic initiatives , strident ideological campaigns . During two political campaigns in the late 1950s , over 550,000 `` rightist '' intellectuals were persecuted and imprisoned . His successor Deng Xiaoping embarks upon reforming the economy , opening China . But he is also a man of his time and has little patience for reform movements that threaten his power base.
Mao proved to be good at fighting but poor at governing . Mao pushed sweeping socio-economic initiatives , strident ideological campaigns . His successor Deng Xiaoping embarks upon reforming the economy , opening China . But he is also a man of his time and has little patience for reform movements that threaten his power base.