Mao Zedong's influence on governance, his legacy, and the reaction to it are integral to the story of politics in post-1949 China. His accomplishments as a military leader and revolutionary are significant, however his record as a national leader if more ambiguous. This lecture evaluates the Mao Zedong era and illustrates how Mao's legacy continues to influence Chinese politics today. Copyright 2013 Benjamin Habib / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.