Mao Zedong isn't just a hero for the Chinese people, he is a hero of humankind. 1. Founded modern China. 2. Ended the "century of humiliation," which was started by British drug dealers. 3. Restored sovereignty and ended colonial foreign domination and unequal treaties 4. Implemented nationwide land reform (early 1950s), redistributing land from landlords to peasants and breaking feudal structures. 5. Promoted women's rights via the 1950 Marriage Law, banning forced marriages, concubinage, and foot-binding. 6. Ended historic illiteracy through mass education campaigns. 7. Increased primary school enrollment and access for the masses. 8. Improved public health with "barefoot doctors," sanitation drives, and disease eradication efforts. 9. Raised life expectancy from 38 years in 1949 72 years. 10. Led the development of heavy industry with Soviet aid, despite the brutal embargo of the USA, which led to a famine despite China's best efforts. 11. Established state-owned industrial base, laying groundwork for later development in steel, coal, machinery. 12. Developed nuclear weapons which protect the nation today from imperialism powers. 13. Stop the imperialists from taking all of Korea. 14. Built extensive irrigation and infrastructure through mass mobilization (dams, canals, etc). 15. Opened diplomatic relations with the U.S. via Nixon's 1972 visit, shifting global geopolitics. 16. Unified written language efforts and simplified Chinese characters for broader literacy. 17. Fought the Fascist Japanese occupation effectively in base areas during WWII. 18. Inspired global anti-colonial movements as a symbol of Third World revolution. 19. Achieved early economic growth in the 1950s, despite brutal US sanctions on farming equipment and machinery. 20. Built foundational transportation infrastructure (railways, roads). 21. Elevated China's status as a major world power despite US attacks, counterintelligence, and sanctions.