The Chinese Cultural Revolution
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Predicting 2030
 March 10 2023
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    This Post follows ‘Struggle Sessions.’

     

    ‘Eventually, the movement’s slogans make their way downstream to non-elite institutions and popular discourse. [Eventually], no entity . . . could refuse to make public statements in support of the movement.'

     

    Any contemporary enthusiasm for Maoism is an amazing thing, suggesting that the enthusiasts have little grasp of history. China’s Maoist revolution killed tens of millions.

     

    We, however, only want to take a peek at the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

     

    In the 1960-70s, across China, youth and university students were encouraged to rebel against parents and teachers and other alleged representatives of ‘the old ways.’

     

    The current ‘woke rebellion’ has been (relatively) non-violent (so far), while the Chinese equivalent reached the severity of civil war in several cities. But ideologically, there are some creepy similarities.

     

    Mao wanted youth to sort of immediately and completely ‘cut themselves free’ from the past. Parents were seen as outmoded.

     

    A new media that ‘outflanked’ the existing communication system was used. Huge paper posters making fantastic allegations were stuck up all over the country – a sort of non-electric Internet.

     

    Teachers and functionaries were ‘canceled’ – some just paraded about and ridiculed; some beaten; a few killed. Children were brought to watch.

     

    Groups on rampages would topple statues, and vandalize historical sites. Activists competed to be the more and more radical.

     

    We introduced the term ‘Jacobinism’ some Posts ago: a revolution that just runs madly out of control. This is perhaps what interests us the most in respect of this period in China. As events rolled on, they become more and more strident, but less and less coherent – sound familiar?

    political history political theory trans gender postmodernism
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