I suppose that Confucianism is partly to blame, it's the respect of ancient values and traditions at pretty much all cost. It's very ingrained in Chinese culture.
Mao should've followed the example of Wang Anshi, who introduced Legalist concepts and principles into the imperial bureaucracy while calling himself a Neoconfucian. There's the criticism by Confucians that the imperial dynasties were never actually Confucian (外儒内法), and I mostly see post-Mao CPC continuing the tradition of giving the airs of a Confucian society without actually being a Confucian society.
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I suppose that Confucianism is partly to blame, it's the respect of ancient values and traditions at pretty much all cost. It's very ingrained in Chinese culture.
Mao should've followed the example of Wang Anshi, who introduced Legalist concepts and principles into the imperial bureaucracy while calling himself a Neoconfucian. There's the criticism by Confucians that the imperial dynasties were never actually Confucian (外儒内法), and I mostly see post-Mao CPC continuing the tradition of giving the airs of a Confucian society without actually being a Confucian society.