From Mao to modern America: History shows dangerous signs of repeating

A look at how Chinaʼs Cultural Revolution events from late 60s mirror todays political shifts in America. Historical patterns suggest concerning similarities between two different eras and systems

November 27 2024 , 12:07 PM  •  2040 views

From Mao to modern America: History shows dangerous signs of repeating

Back in 66‚ Mao Zedong made his way back to power using an odd starting point: a theater-play debate that turned into a full-scale attack on party values (which he thought were against him)

The movement started when Mao pushed Beijing uni students to call-out party officials as traitors; this led to the now-famous “bombard the headquarters“ slogan that changed Chinaʼs path for next 10 yrs. Young people went after authority figures which caused around 1mil deaths

I didnt know we were heading toward disaster. Once I understood I stopped following them. I opposed them

Nie Yuanzi‚ former uni admin who helped start the movement‚ speaking in early 2000s

The Cultural Revolution had two main parts:
* Getting rid of old party structures
* Making everyone show total loyalty to Mao

Now‚ about 60 yrs later similar patterns show up in US politics. After nov-5 election Trumpʼs picks for top jobs raise eye-brows: most dont have right experience but show strong loyalty

Take these examples of odd choices:
* Matt Gaetz for attorney general (who later stepped down)
* Pete Hegseth for Pentagon chief with no defense background
* Robert F Kennedy Jr for health secretary despite anti-vax views

The Department of Justice‚ the prosecutors will be prosecuted — the bad ones

Pam Bondi‚ new attorney general pick speaking in aug-23

Steve Bannon‚ close to the president-elect says it clearly: “Donald Trump is a blunt-force instrument applying blunt-force trauma to the system“