Peter R. Moody Jr.

Peter Richard Moody Jr. (Chinese: 穆磐石; October 13, 1943 – May 2, 2026) was an American political scientist, sinologist and academic who was professor emeritus of political science at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. He was an expert on modern Chinese politics, Asian international affairs, Chinese political thought, international relations theory, and party theory.

Background Moody was born in San Francisco, California, on October 13, 1943, into an Air Force family. Due to his family's military background, he attended schools across various locations, including New York, Alabama, California, France, and Colorado, graduating from Air Academy High School in 1961. He was noted for mentoring numerous graduate students throughout his tenure, including the prominent Taiwanese political scientist Ming Chu-cheng.

Academic research Moody's research focused heavily on the mechanisms of opposition, dissent, and ideological shifts within mainland China and Taiwan. Regarding the Cultural Revolution, Moody argued that Mao Zedong and his followers attempted to resolve conflicts between different interest groups through class struggle, continuous revolution, and the dictatorship of the proletariat. He posited that this approach ultimately led to endless social upheaval, brutal political infighting, and the collapse of the national economy. Furthermore, Moody noted that such methods failed to prevent the newly elevated authorities from simply becoming another entrenched interest group. He maintained that conflicts between differing societal interest groups should instead be resolved through institutionalized democracy and the rule of law.

Moody was actively involved in charitable service, serving for decades as a member and treasurer of the Sacred Heart chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. In the 1970s, he and his family took in refugees from war-torn countries and raised a foster daughter. Moody died on May 2, 2026, at the age of 82. Tradition and Modernization in China and Japan New Horizons in Comparative Politics (Belmont, 1994) . Political Change on Taiwan: A Study of Ruling Party Adaptability (New York, 1992). Political Opposition in Post-Confucian Society (New York, 1988). Chinese Politics After Mao: Development and Liberalization, 1976 to 1983 (New York, 1983). Opposition and Dissent in Contemporary China (Hoover Institution Press, 1977). The Politics of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (Hamden, 1973).