毛泽东和邓小平继承了马克思主义的民主观,在中国革命、建设和改革的实践探索中形成了各具特色的民主政治思想。他们对社会主义民主本质的认识是一致的,但对于民主是目的还是手段以及民主的实现方式有着截然不同的理解。当前,展开对毛泽东、邓小平民主政治思想的比较研究具有十分重要的现实意义。 Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping inherited the Marxist concept of democracy and formed distinctive democratic political thoughts in the practice and exploration of China’s revolution, construction and reform. Their understanding of the nature of socialist democracy is consistent, but there is a completely different understanding of the purpose or means of democracy as well as the ways in which democracy can be achieved. At present, it is of great practical significance to start a comparative study of Mao Zedong’s and Deng Xiaoping’s democratic political thoughts.