Mao Myth: The Legacy of Stalinism in China

A compilation of essays and speeches by veteran socialist journalist and political activist Tom Kerry, The Mao Myth offers a unique insight into the dynamics of the socialist revolution in China. Kerry challenges the official Maoist ideologues while defending the accomplishments of the Chinese revolution against its procapitalist detractors." ~ from the book's back cover blurb "Thomas Kerry (June 27, 1901 - January 8, 1983) was an American Communist and a lifelong member of the Socialist Workers Party. Like many other young socialists, Kerry was inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1917 and he became a Communist. During World War II, when many of the leaders of the Socialist Workers Party (including James P. Cannon, Farrell Dobbs, and Carl Skoglund) were sent to prison by the Smith Act for opposing American intervention in the war, Tom Kerry became one of the most important "free" leaders of the party. Kerry wrote a lot of political articles and some Marxist books. He retired from active party work in the mid 1970s, but remained in the Socialist Workers Party until he died in Los Angeles in 1983, aged 81.