Young Chinese turn to Mao as jobs stress and inequality deepen

Beijing,UPDATED: Sep 9, 2026 18:40 IST

Fifty years after Mao Zedong's death, his words and writings are finding new attention among young people in China who are dealing with work pressure, economic uncertainty, social inequality and intense competition in education and jobs, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

Mao, one of the most consequential and controversial figures of modern China, led the People's Republic of China through its first three decades and shaped its political system, economy, foreign policy and social change until his death on September 9, 1976. His ideas, once spread widely through the Red Book and linked to Communist movements around the world, lost ground after his death as Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms took hold. Deng's model of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics later allowed wider reforms, including private property, which Mao had opposed.

In recent years, party theorists had also criticised some of Mao's political and economic campaigns, especially the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, during which thousands were killed in campaigns against capitalists and traditionalists. But the Post said that trend is now changing, especially among students and young people. As China's economy slowed, with the property sector weighed down by debt and crisis, Mao's once-forgotten ideas began to find a new audience among Gen Z. The Post said it is difficult to estimate the number of young followers, but there are signs of growing interest. Open records showed that at Beijing's Tsinghua University, the Selected Works of Mao Zedong topped the library loan list last year. On Taobao, one of China's biggest online shopping platforms, a shop selling enamel mugs with Mao's portrait sold more than 20,000 units in the past year.

Analysts told the Post that the deeper reason for this interest is growing disillusionment among young people who feel they cannot achieve their aspirations in present-day China. In June 2023, the official urban unemployment rate for people aged 16 to 24 reached a record 21.3 per cent. University graduates, worried about their future, have begun joking that they must "degrade themselves" and consider low-paid blue-collar jobs. "I think a lot of people have realised that this isn't something that could simply be solved with the cake being made bigger," Mobo Gao, professor of Chinese studies at Adelaide University in Australia, told the Post. He said Mao's theories on class struggle and conflict still mattered to young people facing heavy pressure, a wealth gap and limited job opportunities, whether they were looking for an explanation or simply comfort.

The report said this shift has been accompanied by rising nationalism. Many admire Mao for what they see as his foresight on nuclear weapons, satellites and the industrialisation of inland provinces, which they believe helped China compete and defend itself against outside forces. Even so, there was no major coverage of Mao's 50th death anniversary in official media on Wednesday, and no reports of ceremonies. The only special arrangement was at the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Beijing, which stayed open for an extra three hours, while visiting slots for the week were fully booked. Despite the official silence, the Post said Mao's popularity is quietly returning. On social media, many in Gen Z increasingly see him less as the leader of a turbulent revolutionary era and more as a source of personal inspiration and resilience in dealing with work and personal stress. Online influencers and Mao enthusiasts have built large followings by presenting his writings as practical advice on setbacks in work, relationships and daily life. Some young people have formed online reading groups, while AI-narrated videos and social media posts have introduced his speeches and writings to a generation with no direct experience of the Mao era. "When you are denied a pay rise, when you feel anxious about your children's education, or when you are alienated by colleagues, Chairman Mao can help," the Post said, quoting some social media posts.

Mao's views have also been cited regularly during periods of US-China tension, especially during last year's tariff war. When the Trump administration imposed a 104 per cent tariff on Chinese goods, social media users searched for the term "jiaoyuan", which used imperialism as a "paper tiger", one of Mao's best-known slogans, and quoted his speeches collected in On Protracted War. The Post said that while much of this mood among young people fits China's official portrayal of Mao as a symbol of national independence in the face of US-led pressure, experts say Beijing is also cautious that Mao's teachings could encourage doubts about the country's economic policies and its reading of Marxism. Overall, the report suggests that Mao's comeback among young Chinese is being driven by economic stress, social pressure and a search for meaning in an uncertain time.

With PTI Inputs

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