So, over the past year I have learnt so much about the amazing achievements these men (and the party they were the leaders of) did that I was never taught. I've 'semi-intentionally' deprogrammed myself of so much anti-communism bullshit while having to live with that most still in the West, based upon misinformation, view them as 'evil, 100 quintillion deaths, dictator, psychopath where muh freedoms'.
The reason I am focusing on Stalin and Mao in particular in this post is, to be very open, due to a truth-seeking hyperfixation that I must satisfy so I can move on to the next topic of intense, dopamine chasing, obsession. Yeah I love being me. Anyway, propaganda, mythologising, exaggerating and misattributed blame brushed aside, what is left?
I am quite knowledgeable of, thanks to some high quality M-L documentaries, educational videos and podcast episodes, the more obvious wrongdoings such as the Great Leap Forward killing of pests worsening the famine, purges of comrades who were legitimately innocent, re-criminalising homosexuality, support of Khmer Rouge and ethnic deportations to name a few.
I wouldn't mind hearing more obscure examples, or a deeper analysis of the mistakes and unjustifiable actions I am already aware of. And as much as a few good book recommendations probably would give me the answers I crave, I am lowkey illiterate with long-form reading thanks to my ADHD (still waiting on meds after being diagnosed 8 months ago).
Stalin recriminalizing homosexuality isn't a justifiable act regardless of the rationale or context behind it.
The forced migrations are also indisputably bad and were clearly motivated by paranoia about the loyalty of ethnic minorities with little supporting evidence. It definitely wasn't fair that the relocations persisted long after the war was over.
And of course supporting Israel. No excuse for that one; Stalin should've known better. Him walking it back later doesn't make up for this blunder.
For Mao the biggest thing was the Sino-Soviet Split and especially the reproach with the USA. Khrushchev played a part, yes, but Mao didn't help with this.
Mao also backed the Khmer Rouge alongside the U.S. and while he was dead by the time of the Sino-Vietnamese War and the Soviet-Afghan War he was indirectly complicit for China's role in both via the Sino-Soviet Split and warming relations with the West.
That's all I can say with confidence as those are the ones I'm most literate on.
without its western reproachment, could china have built its place in the world economy to the same extent it has today?