World Notes

Is China ready for the second coming of Mao Zedong? After the death of the Great Helmsman in 1976, his reform-minded successors wasted no time discrediting his ideas. But while Maoism remains out of style, the Chairman himself is more popular today than at any time in the past decade. Once tossed aside as shameful relics of the hated Cultural Revolution, Mao buttons and portraits are selling fast in some Chinese shops and stalls. Last year 900,000 people visited his birthplace in Hunan province, a record since the late 1970s. And a forthcoming film stresses his human qualities, portraying him as an unassuming leader who loved ballroom dancing.

For many modern Chinese who fret about political malaise and economic stagnation, Mao symbolizes the promise of the '50s, when the leadership appeared to be incorruptible and struggle -- political and otherwise -- seemed to have a purpose. The new Mao cult has even imbued the Chairman with talismanic powers. In Guangdong province, truck drivers and shop owners display Mao posters, believing the image will ward off ill fortune and bring profits to their businesses -- an ironic twist for an anticapitalist who imposed radical egalitarianism on China.