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