Not only the Chinese be proud of Mao. Human Beings will all be proud of Mao. Mao is making the critical turn of Human Evolution. The critical turn is ending the five thousand years of private ownership of property, or of that elites rule the laborers ruthlessly. Mao create a sustained country where People rule and elites are servants of the people and a proud part of the people.
Mao created a democracy in essence, not just in form. China after 1949 is people rules, not ruled by capital in the market. It is not perfect. It is not mature yet. Mao endowed China with a destination that gives hope to the whole Human Beings.