To put it maybe a bit too simply, MZT is Marxism-Leninism adopted to mid-century Chinese conditions, whereas Maoism is a branch of ultra adventurism. From my understanding of the history, it kicked off around the time Deng became Premier and started to implement the policies that comprised Reform and Opening Up, as an ultra-left reaction against these policies.

Maoists think that Deng took the Capitalist Road. Students of MZT can see the thread connecting classical Marxism, Leninism, MZT, and modern SWCC and recognize that they all play their part in building communism in China.

MZT - What Mao actually wrote, said, did.

Maoism (western, current) - The most annoying people on the internet.

MZDT: incorporated his contributions, applications and critiques to Marxism-Leninism. Usually much more open about ideas, using his framework to analyze contributions from comrads.

Maoism: the more left the better, and any sign of reactionary or capitalism cannot be tolerated. Ideological purity is the end-goal, whether it would benefit the people or not.

So, MZDT would suggest that Mao was right in agreeing to incorporate the stars in the Chinese flag representing the local bourgeoisie and national bourgeoisie. Maoists would say that Mao is revisionist. Which is actually a conversation that happened. I didn’t think these people actually existed until I met one.

Personally I don’t like the term Maoist. They should be called the ultra-left. I’d like to call myself a Maoist because I’m a pretty big fan of his ideas but I can’t do that.

To put it Laconically: One requires thought.

I don't know all of the details, but i think generally Mao Zedong understood that he didn't always make the right decision and learned from them, whereas Maoists think he wasn't ever wrong.

Maybe its more complicated than that. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

i lack reading on that part, all i know is that what people refer to maoism was wrote by abimael guzman aka presidente gonzalo, chairman of communist party of peru aka sendero luminoso (shining path).

there is a lot of memes going around about him and sendero, never understood fully tho.

there is a dude i like to watch named joao carvalho that claims to be maoist, he say that guzman wrapped up mao theory much like stalin with lenin, but he and the party brought themselves to ruin with virulent leftism, the same that is still present on people that read guzman. he says if you filter out the leftism, it is some good stuff also the so maoist hate him because he isnt a real maoist because he isn't leftist

It’s tough to explain MZT as well as others here already have, just wanted to add that Maoists online are some of the dumbest, weirdest, rudest bunch that the modern left has to offer. Imagine someone who doesn’t support Che Guevara and call him Adventurist because he traveled to another country to help their Revolution. That same person will label others as “Armchair Revolutionaries” for not risking life and limb every second of the day to support Revolution. And what do they do? They work for a non-union company, don’t agitate or try to unionize or even bring up conversations to coworkers because they would rather Mald in their own realm of disappointment in the American working class and think themselves superior and smarter rather than godforbid talk to someone IRL. I mean at LEAST Trotskyists will try to get you to read their newspaper, asking a Maoist a question will earn you a 4 minute tirade on how you know nothing and how they don’t even wanna answer such a simple question. I have had LOTS of experience with Maoists online, there are also many kind ones who sorta take a dogmatic approach. Overall Maoism is just dumb enough for me to not add the second M to ML, but good enough for me to engage with in a decent manner at times.