毛沢東
毛 沢東（もう たくとう、マオ・ツォートン、1893年12月26日 - 1976年9月9日）は、中華人民共和国の政治家、軍人、思想家。字は詠芝、潤芝、潤之。筆名は子任。中国共産党の創立党員の1人。中国革命の指導者で、中華人民共和国の建国の父とされている。1949年の建国以来、1976年に死去するまで、同国の最高権力者の地位にあった。
現代世界史において大きな業績を遺した人物とみなされており、タイム誌の「20世紀の重要人物（Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century）」の1人に名を連ねている。毛は、思想家、戦略家として評価されており、詩人としても名高い。
一方、毛の政策については現在でも議論の対象となっている。研究者は、毛の引き起こした大躍進政策と文化大革命のような、文化、社会、経済、外交に重大な損害をもたらした問題について非難するとともに、彼の政策による犠牲者を数千万と推定する[6]。そして、マルクス主義・ソ連型社会主義を中国社会に導入しようとした毛の政策は、産業の面において、結局失敗に終わったと論じる。 Read More
文化大革命
文化大革命，簡稱文革，是中華人民共和國始於1966年的一場重大政治運動，被廣泛認為是自1949年建國至今最動蕩不安的災難性階段，常被冠以“十年動亂”或“十年浩劫”。
文革的指導思想來源於毛澤東提出的“四個存在”理論，即“社會主義社會是一個相當長的歷史階段，在這個歷史階段中，始終存在著階級、階級矛盾和階級鬥爭，存在著社會主義同資本主義兩條道路的鬥爭，存在著資本主義復辟的危險性，存在著帝國主義和社會帝國主義進行顛覆和侵略的威脅。”在此基礎上，毛澤東發展出在無產階級專政下繼續革命的理論。
文革自1966年開始，結束時間則存在爭議。官方認為到1976年毛澤東去世和四人幫的被捕後被宣佈“勝利結束”（1978年憲法《序言》：“第一次無產階級文化大革命的勝利結束，使我國社會主義革命和社會主義建設進入了新的發展時期”）。
文化大革命的指導思想和政治成果均在1981年6月27日中國共產黨第十一屆中央委員會第六次全體會議一致通過的《關於建國以來黨的若干歷史問題的決議》中被正式否定，決議認為毛澤東應負上責任。該決議的正式表述是：“‘文化大革命’是一場由領導者錯誤發動，被反革命集團利用，給黨、國家和各族人民帶來嚴重災難的內亂。” Read More
Kiwi retailers making tills ring across Tasman
Anne and David Norman are the most successful and their family-run company owns more than 500 jewellery stores that operate under the names Stewart Dawson, Prouds, Angus and Coote and Pascoes. They also own the 58 Farmers stores.
The couple are brilliant retailers, with a track record of buying poorly performing businesses and turning them round. Last year they pounced on Angus and Coote when its share price slumped after a loss of A$3.8 million (NZ$4.3 million). It is estimated their Australian stores have 20 per cent of the country's jewellery market. Retail analysts said they were making a serious mistake when they bought Farmers for $122.3 million from Perth-based Foodland Associated in 2003, arguing that department stores were outdated.
It was said that most of Farmers' profits came from its finance subsidiary, which Foodland sold to Fisher & Paykel Appliances in a related deal for $188.7 million. In turn F & P is now considering selling it, with its valuable 20-year exclusive contract with Farmers.
Under Norman control, Farmers stores and product ranges have been upgraded at a cost of over $100 million. As a private company it is not known how it is faring, though the stores appear profitable judging from the number of shoppers attracted by newspaper advertising and expensive mail promotions. Mr Norman has expressed satisfaction at returning the retail icon to the forefront in New Zealand.
The success of the Norman family and their willingness to take a long- term view in turning around businesses away from the media spotlight may have been the catalyst for Stephen Tindall's plans to privatise The Warehouse. Unlike Mr Tindall, however, the Normans rebuffed offers from private equity groups to buy into their company. Mr Norman says it is also most unlikely he would seek a Stock Exchange listing for the group.
Michael Hill International has also done well in Australia, where it has 120 stores, though this is a fraction of the Normans'. At times such as 2002 when the share price slumped after he announced expansion to Canada, founder Michael Hill has expressed exasperation with the lack of vision of shareholders, though there has been no suggestion he plans to privatise the company.
He is regarded as a hero by many shareholders who have done exceptionally well from their investment. The future of clothing retailer Postie Plus is less clear. Hobart-based Kathmandu founder Janet Cameron, who made millions selling this company to private equity, has steadily built a 12.58 per cent stake in Postie Plus. Ms Cameron is a retail specialist, and her buying seems to be opportunistic because Postie Plus appears to be on a solid recovery trail after hitting a rough patch. Read More
