Teng started the de-Maoization campaign and apparently was determined to do a thorough job. But he realized that he would, by doing so, ruin himself before ruining the party and the regime. Quite understandably he had to brake himself to a stop. Then, to the disappointment of the masses of people who wanted a posthumous whipping of Mao, the Teng & Co. declared that Mao's merits surpassed his demerits.