Part 3/9:
Mao was profoundly influenced by Carl Marx and Friedrich Engels, diving deeply into communist texts that served as the foundation for his political philosophy. His exposure to revolutionary thought coincided with a period of turmoil in China, which saw the decline of the Qing Dynasty and the rise of movements aimed at establishing a republic. Disenfranchised by the monarchy's authoritarian rule and foreign exploitation, Mao became involved in revolutionary activities as a young man, eventually leading him to align with the Communist Party of China (CPC).