Literacy programs. Mao’s literacy programs meant that the Chinese peasantry were able to take on new roles in a developing nation. It’s not that everyone in China went on to become a brain surgeon but the ability to recieve and obey written instructions makes people far more productive

India’s caste system means there was never as much interest in making some people literate and the country paid for that. There are parts of India that were ran by Maoists at the time of Mao’s literacy programs and they are considerably better off