I don't know that Mao was completely wrong. I think we have a pretty fair election process. However, once in power, the government through elected officials, forces citizens to do many things via the gun barrel: graze cattle on unapproved land = armed gov't agents show up to remove/confiscate cattle, don't pay taxes = a collection agency with armed agents is there to potentially force you to pay taxes (or at least take you to jail), and so on.