Reimagining Soviet Georgia Episode 64: Marxism & China with Josef Gregory Mahoney
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Feb 21, 2026 
Josef Gregory Mahoney, a scholar of Chinese Marxism teaching and researching in Shanghai, discusses how Marxism reached and was adapted in China. He traces Soviet influences and sharp political splits. He explores Mao-to-Deng continuities, the Cultural Revolution’s complex effects, and Xi’s turn toward green development and new multilateralism.
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Split Rooted In Politics, Not Just Theory
- The Sino-Soviet split was driven more by political and strategic disagreements than pure theory.
- China judged Soviet actions as prioritizing Soviet needs and sometimes threatening Chinese sovereignty.
Lunch Lesson: Politics Before Theory
- Josef recounts a 2010 lunch where a senior Chinese Marxist said, 'in China, we don't care as much about theory as you think we do.'
- The remark highlighted a praxis-first mentality: politics and practical results guide theory in Chinese Marxism.
1956 Speech Fueled Chinese Distrust
- Khrushchev's 1956 Secret Speech and perceived Soviet overreach intensified Chinese fears of dependency and betrayal.
- These grievances helped drive China's policies like the Great Leap and assertive independence from Soviet models.