Conclusion

Abstract

The aim of this book has been to examine and elucidate the political career of Hua Guofeng. Although there are some existing academic works on Hua (albeit not many), we have seen that what there is has its limitations. They range from official publications which are often drenched in hyperbole (either pro or anti-Hua) to more creditable scholarly sources but which are limited to a specific period of Hua’s career and a single book, which although useful in parts, is inadequate from an analytical perspective and contains too many unsubstantiated claims. The objective of this book therefore has been to bring together the existing literature on Hua and analyse new sources in an effort to present Hua’s story as a complete analytical whole from his beginnings in Shanxi to his anointment as China’s paramount leader and subsequent fall.