Quotations from President Liu Shao-ch'i

Tokyo: Weatherhill, 1968. With introduction by CP FitzGerald. A collection of the published words of second President of the PRC, Liu Shao-ch'i. Liu was a tragic figure in mid 20th century Communist China, a long time associate of Chairman Mao Tse-tung, who incurred the wrath of the mercurial Chairman by having the courage to speak out against Mao's policies in the Great Leap Forward, a disastrous program that resulted in the death by starvation of millions of Chinese peasants. Mao never forgave Liu's brave opposing stance and purged him in the opening months of the Cultural Revolution some eight years later, about the time of publication of this booklet. On Mao's direct command, Liu was brutally tortured for months and eventually died as a result; Mao had his body anonymously cremated and his death remained a secret until Mao himself succumbed in 1976. In the quotes captured in this book, Liu's essential humanity and intellectual honesty are evident (in marked contrast to Mao), in essays such as 'Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao Have Made Mistakes'. Publication is in the format of Mao's own ubiquitous 'Little Red Book', except that this book is clad in a yellow plastic jacket. 2 b&w images. Appendices include biographical sketches of Liu (the second of which provides an ominous lead-up to Liu's downfall and eventual tragic fate), and an English translation of the 1954 constitution of the People's Republic of China. A fascinating historical record, now rare. Text in English. 223 pp.. First Edition. Soft Cover. Very Good/n/a. 13 x 9 cm..