Former leader of communist China.
Mao Zedong, the main initiator of the Chinese communist movement,
had been a man of ideas, who applied radical reforms
(Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution) without regard to the Chinese people. (For details, see Dman's writeup on Zhou Enlai.)
Deng, a key figure from the 1960s until his death in 1997, was a pragmatist.
He will be remembered for bringing communist rule in touch with reality, restoring social stability and bringing economic prosperity.