The rise of Communism in China is largely due to a man named Mao Zedong. He was poorly educated as a child but highly intelligent. Zedong left home and had become a member of the Nationalist Army as the Revolution began around 1911. He was soon introduced to and became powerfully influenced by the philosophies of Marxism.
Following the Boxer Rebellion1<span> of 1900, (ridding China of all foreigners, massacring all missionaries and Christian converts), China's citizens experienced starvation, extreme poverty, and grief resulting in the loss of many innocent lives. This set the stage for the acceptance of men like Zedong and the godless Communistic philosophies of Karl Marx. After being under the rule of warlords around 1916, many Chinese began joining revolutionary groups and political parties in hopes of changing their country. During and after the Great Revolution (1914—1918), China saw several movements which strongly fostered a path into Communism. </span>
These times of chaos and despair played a large role in acceptance of Mao. He had the support of roughly 85 percent of the nation who were poor farmers. Zedong started a society for the study of Marxism, and in 1921 its members started the Chinese Communist Party. "Mao Zedong led the communists after the army successfully finished the Revolution by defeating the nationalists. Then once Mao was in control, the Chinese loved him and gave ample support in 'return for better changes for the peasants,'" says writer Christopher van de Merwe.2
<span>The basis of traditional communism is common ownership and production. Karl Marx started communism as a journey into rational eschatology. But through (Lenin's) Soviet communism, this was discarded and only atheism and tyranny were left. Marx believed that a man's worth reflected his efforts and that the state of equality was one's "final stage in life." This philosophy shows Communism to be not only anti-Christian, but anti any divine deity.
