“Thought Reform.” Afterlives of Chinese Communism: Political Concepts from Mao to Xi

Thought reform,' or ideological remoulding, has been and remains a key tenet of leadership in the Chinese Communist Party. The model in which 'thought errors' or 'erroneous lines' could spell political defeat or personal demise was perfected under Mao Zedong in the 1940s and it remains a political technology much valued by China's current leadership under Xi Jinping.