While economic reforms took precedence under Deng, political reforms developed more slowly. The resolve of the CPC to retain the leadership of the country and decide its overall direction has never changed. Under Mao, his committed, but inexperienced centralized leadership, led China down a twisting path, but under Deng, and his successors, the same centralized power structure enabled China to make miraculous advances in countless areas from infrastructure to international trade to poverty alleviation and to better achieve Mao’s well-known goal to “serve the people”.