The term “paper tiger” was introduced in the 1950s from the Chinese term “zhi laohu,” used by Chairman Mao to describe the imperialist actions of the United States. It refers to something that looks menacing but is actually made of paper and can be destroyed. Mao’s use of the term referred to the policies and beliefs about US imperialism, suggesting that it was transitory and would collapse on itself. In modern usage, it refers to anything that looks threatening but isn’t actually.
The term paper tiger is thought to have been introduced into the English language in the 1950s. It is a translation from the Chinese term zhi laohu, which was in use long before the 1950s. Chairman Mao Zedong, leader of the Chinese government and the Communist Party from 1949 to 1976, described the imperialist actions of some nations, and especially the United States, as a paper tiger. The paper tiger is something that looks menacing, but is actually simply made of paper; then it can be destroyed or fought.
Preceding English phrases include storm in a teacup and Shakespeare’s quote from Macbeth, “full of sound and fury; which means nothing.” These are not specifically applied to imperialism. However, they do seem to suggest that some moles look like mountains and are not as daunting as one might assume.
Imperialism of the kind Chairman Mao referred to meant two things, first, the attitude and attempt of larger and stronger nations to establish political domination over smaller nations, and also an attitude of larger and stronger nations stronger their way of life was better government was superior to smaller nations. By calling the United States a paper tiger, Chairman Mao was establishing a Chinese propaganda philosophy that would dominate China for many years to come, and to some extent still exists.
It is important to understand specifically what Chairman Mao meant when he used the term, as this is often glossed over and not given a full definition. The paper tiger often referred not only to the policies of the United States, but to the beliefs about the imperialist policies (if they can be called such) of the United States by its citizens and the rest of the world. Chairman Mao said that the United States is running up debts in an effort to fight communism and that its imperialist policies are despised by other countries and its own citizens. Because the policy of “oppression,” as Mao saw it, was so unwelcome, it would collapse on itself. This is what makes the tiger card.
Chairman Mao did not claim that the US paper tiger was without any power, merely that that power was transitory and would be: “unable to withstand wind and rain.” Furthermore, even if the tiger was made of paper, it had to be fought, and Mao suggested that all countries “oppressed” by US imperialism would probably continue to fight and despise this tendency of the US to somehow consider itself superior to other countries. under different political organization.
Mao said that strategically this tiger must be “despised” but that “tactically, we must take it seriously.” This therefore became a call to all nations of the Communist persuasion to strengthen themselves and engage in a battle with imperialism while remaining strong in Communist beliefs. This process would take a long time, perhaps a battle that will exist until imperialism has completely vanished, “beaten by wind and rain”. Mao used wind and rain as a metaphor for the struggle communist nations must wage to completely destroy the paper tiger.
In modern usage, paper tiger can refer to anything that looks threatening but isn’t actually. We are back to Shakespeare’s idea of a thing “full of sound and fury; which means nothing.” How the term is used now deviates from its purpose as used by Mao. It can apply to any large force that appears to pose a threat, or to the actual process of creating a threat where it does not exist to create fear and possibly influence people’s decision-making or political process.
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