by Frank Li
Hello from China!
Do you recognize the photo on the right? It is the Mao Memorial Hall located on the south side of the Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Inside, Mao is resting in peace, in a crystal glass gasket (see photo at the end of the article).
Today, the Mao Memorial Hall is a popular tourist attraction. In fact, I just visited it. While there, I imagined I saw Mao smile and mumble: “see, I told you so!”
I think I know what he meant …
Mao led the communists to power in 1949. After destroying the remaining parts of capitalism in China in the early 1950s, Mao kicked off his own “socialist” construction phase with two explicit and ambitious economic goals:
Goal 1: Surpassing the U.K. in 30 years!
Goal 2: Surpassing the U.S. in 50 years!
What followed was a total disaster (America: What is China, Anyway?). But was Mao really such a big fool who did not know what he was talking about? It turned out that Mao’s two mighty goals were quite obtainable – He just did not know how!
Mao died in 1976. China changed fundamentally for the better by embracing capitalism. As a result, China easily realized Goal 1 (1977-2007), and is now well on her way to realize Goal 2 (1977-2027)!
To know a bit more about China today, watch this slide show: China’s Amazing Bridges.
Mao must be very happy about China today. That was why, I think, he smiled and mumbled: “see, I told you so!”
Photo: Mao RIP (rest in peace)
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About the Author
Frank Li is the Founder and President of W.E.I. (West-East International), a Chicago-based import & export company. Frank received his B.E. from Zhejiang University (China) in 1982, M.E. from the University of Tokyo in 1985, and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1988, all in Electrical Engineering. He worked for several companies until 2004, when he founded his own company W.E.I. Today, W.E.I. is a leader in the weighing industry not only in products & services, but also in thought and action.
Dr. Li writes extensively and uniquely on politics, for which he has been called “a modern-day Thomas Jefferson”(see page 31).
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