Maozedongize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To transform or adopt ideology, policies, or practices inspired by the political principles and style associated with the Chinese communist leader known for revolutionary tactics and governance ; to infuse an organization or movement with doctrines reflecting radical socialist or communist theories attributed to the historical figure ; to implement or promote actions and beliefs reminiscent of the cultural and political changes linked to a major 20th-century Chinese leader known for his profound societal impact
2. To apply or emulate the strategies and principles characterized by the leadership and ideology of a notable Chinese revolutionary figure noted for dramatic social restructuring ; to instill Marxist-Leninist ideas coupled with specific Chinese adaptations into social, political, or economic systems ; to embody or enforce measures aligned with the thought and legacy of the influential personality credited with shaping modern China's communist movement
3. To cause something to reflect or embody the characteristics of the policies, philosophy, or revolutionary methods associated with a prominent mid-20th-century Chinese political leader ; to advocate or adopt a form of communism rooted in Mao Zedong’s theories and revolutionary practice ; to reorient institutions or beliefs according to the cultural, economic, and political models linked to a key figure in Chinese history who initiated a radical transformation of society

Etymology: Mao Zedong's name, romanized as "Mao Tse-tung" in older Western spelling, was the source of an English verb that Western writers coined in the 1960s and 1970s rather than a term from Chinese. "Maoize" and "Maoization" appear in English from around that time, and "maozedongize" is a longer, more literal variant that spells out the Pinyin name in full. The formation follows the same pattern as "Stalinize" and "Marxize," in which a leader's name takes the suffix "-ize" to mean "make in the manner of" or "make conform to." The suffix "-ize" comes through Latin "-izare" from Greek "-izein," and in English it has long turned names and nouns into verbs for making or adopting something: "Americanize," "Christianize," "industrialize." Because the leader's name is Chinese, the stem is taken from the Pinyin transliteration rather than from Chinese characters, which is why the word looks so unlike an ordinary English formation. The verb is almost always used in political or historical writing, describing a movement, party, or country reorienting itself around Mao's ideas.