Cult of Personality

Imagine yourself at your current age living in China in 1949. The only government/politics you have known throughout you entire life is one of instability and constant warfare in one way or another. As far as you can remember your country has been at war with itself (Chinese Civil War 1927-1950), and the whole world outside of China has been fighting on and off. The fighting and battles is at its peak, this war has affected almost everyone living in China. What are you to do?
I’m not saying that General Mao was a prophet or anything, but I have to admit that he was at the right place at the right time, but most importantly Mao had the right idea (for his country, that is). War and instability affect everyone, they make people think. They make people think about what is right, and what is has been taught and what has been learned. What Mao did was take the deep seated beliefs and ancestry of the Chinese nation, and was able to provide an alternative to the authority that had previously failed. Communism was knocking at China’s door and Mao had the key to let it in.