Jiang Qing

At the time of Mao's death Jiang and her proteges effectively controlled nearly all of China's institutions, including the media and most central government organs. As a result, Jiang is often put in the same ranks as Empress Wu Zetian and Empress Dowager Cixi. She was head of the Gang of 4, who were responsible for carrying out the ailing Maos orders which meant she was responsible for the bulk of the deaths estimates to go as high as 78,860,000 people (that's right 78,860,000 people).

Jiang Qing grew up in the homes of her courtesan mother's rich lovers. Jiang Qing went to university and studied literature and drama. Jiang Qing later became a professional actress(don't get me started). Jiang Qing later left her life on the stage behind and went to the Chinese Communist headquarters to study Marxist-Leninist theory. There she met and became the fourth wife of Mao Zedong, who had just returned from the Long March. One must be smart and be there at the end and avoid the dangerous physical hardships and fighting. Who needs that effort, danger & work right?

Madame Mao was involved with the Ministry of Culture in the 1950s and a leader in the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution. This terrible time was very dysfunctional and chaotic. She emerged as a serious political figure when she criticized party leaders such as Liu Shaoqi, who favoured the introduction of piecework, greater wage differentials and measures that sought to undermine collective farms and factories. She became a member of the Politburo in 1969. She was appointed as the deputy director of the Cultural Revolution in 1966 and formed the Gang of Four with Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan and Wang Hongwen. From that point on, she was one of the most powerful figures in China during Mao's last years and became a controversial figure only later.

During this period Mao Zedong galvanized students and young workers as his Red Guards to attack what he termed as revisionists in the party. Mao told them the revolution was in danger and that they must do all they could to stop the emergence of a privileged class in China. Jiang Qing incited radical youths to organize into Red Guards against other senior political leaders and government officials. The Cultural Revolution came to an end when Liu Shaoqi resigned from all his posts on 13th October 1968. Lin Biao now became Mao's designated successor. Chairman Mao now gave his support to the Gang of Four lead by Jiang Qing. Jiang Qing went on to micromanage operas and ballets with communist and revolutionary content as part of an effort to transform China's culture. The Eight Model Plays were allegedly created under her guidance. She replaced nearly all earlier works of art with revolutionary Maoist works. Again we see communist political correctness in culture destroys history. Jiang Qing's favorite movie was Gone with the Wind.

Mao's physician, Li Zhisui, has said to have diagnosed Jiang Qing as a hypochondriac. Jiang Qing first collaborated with the then 2nd-in-charge Lin Biao, but after Lin's death in 1971, she turned against him publicly in a Criticize LinCampaign. She also spearheaded the campaign against Deng Xiaoping in the mid '70s (later saying that this was inspired by Mao). The Chinese public became intensely unhappy at this time and, rather than blaming Mao, chose to blame a more accessible and easier target, Jiang Qing. She and the Gang of 4 lost power and the other 3 were executed. She eventually committed suicide.

It was her blind ambition, along with the other members of the gang of 4, that allow the aging Mao to reassert power and stop the reforms that later Deng Xiaoping would bring in to help China prosper. Under her watch at the helm millions upon millions died from starvation and other Gulag-like methods by her using Mao’s Great Leap Forward to gain power. The idea of ambitious actresses/artists/dancers can do a better job then men is an interesting one. If number of deaths is any indicator, I'd have to say yes to that. If you want to blame Mao for all of this you can, but since he was suffering from disease, being overweight and aged at and tuned out to affairs we should see who was really in charge. Besides women prefer to pull stings and let others lead. Leadership has its price and can become a target.

The world would be a better place if women ruled!?
You would have to be lower than rat shit to believe the comment above!!!!