Was Mao Tse Tung a Millionaire

[barney15c]

I think i read in a newspaper article somewhere that Mao had a personal wealth that ran into millions of dollars. Apparently he made this money through foreign royalties from his written works like 'the little red book' etc. Can anyone throw any light on this? Seems a bit Ironic that he preached that personal wealth was evil. Makes me think of the saying 'we are all equal, but some are more equal than others!'

[jackthehat]

A despot with millions salted away.........ironic? Not 'alf...

[sandyRoe]

I don't know if he was a millionaire but he definitely had feet of clay. Even when he was fairly old he had a taste for teenage girls from the Red Guard Brigades.

[DTCwordfan]

"Some are more equal than others."

[askyourgran]

I think most of the leaders and despots around the world make sure their personal wealth is secure 'for a rainy day'. Tony Blair and the slimeball Mandelson have. I did read somewhere that Mao was far from being a religious man "sort of do as I say but not what I do". and he liked young women.

[jno]

http://www.washington...ts-in-a-name/mao.html

[owdhamer]

Most murdering dictators millionaires.

[owdhamer]

Try again, most murdering dictators are millionaires

[barney15c]

Thanks JNO for the link, very interesting read, especially the last paragraph. So a hypocrite like all other despots / dictators.

[bradcashman38]

Well Mao Tse Tung was rich enough even before he came in to the government. His family was a wealthy family in China. However, if you say he made this money with corruption, that may be a desire (for any european/american) but not the reality. He was not corrupt at all. He was hardworking and writing books is not illegal for any of us.