6. Mao Zedong (China)
Mao Zedong’s leadership in China led to the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, both of which had devastating consequences. The Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) aimed to rapidly industrialize and collectivize agriculture, resulting in widespread famine and the deaths of an estimated 15 to 55 million people. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) sought to eliminate perceived bourgeois elements, leading to mass purges, persecution of intellectuals, and significant upheaval in Chinese society.
