Mao spirit in China: Trump is changing America and the world

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In einem aufschlussreichen Artikel wird untersucht, wie einige Chinesen in den Aktionen von Donald Trump unheimliche Parallelen zur Kulturrevolution von Mao Zedong sehen. Der Wandel in Amerika weckt Erinnerungen an Mao's revolutionäre Ideale.
An insightful article examines how some Chinese see in the actions of Donald Trump scary parallels to the Mao Zedong cultural revolution. The change in America awakens memories of Mao's revolutionary ideals. (Symbolbild/DNAT)

thing Xueliang spent his early teenage years in China and was a passionate supporter of the revolutionary ideals of chairman Mao Zedong. But he never thought that one day these memories would be awakened by an incumbent US president.

The beginnings of Ding Xueliang

in 1966, at the age of only 13, the son of poor farmers became one of the Red Garden Maos. He joined millions of young people in China, who took part in the cultural revolution - a decade full of unrest, which was launched by an older Mao to restore his absolute control over the prevailing communist party. The declared goal was the preservation of communist ideology.

a change over the decades

Almost six decades later, thing is a respected scientist of Chinese politics based in Hong Kong, with a doctorate from Harvard and a career that deals with the catastrophic movement that he once supported. In the past few months, however, Ding has perceived uncanny parallels between Mao's cultural revolution and America by Donald Trump.

parallels between Trump and Mao

It is important to emphasize that there are profound, incomparable differences between fatal violence and chaos that unleashes a dictator in a one -party state, and the split attempts of a chosen president to expand the executive in a mature democracy. "It is not identical," said Ding. "But there are certainly parallels." While Trump is confusing the institutions, alliances and trade regulations that underpin America's global dominance since the Second World War, some in China remember their former leader, who destroyed the Old World with revolutionary zeal over half a century ago.

exaggerated comparisons and perceptions

In articles and social media, Chinese scholars and commentators make comparisons between Trump and Mao. Some make indirect allusions to the cultural revolution to avoid censorship, while other Trump's obvious hunger for chaos and the growing signs of authoritarianism and a cult of people highlight in its administration.

Trump's changes and their relevance

Since returning to the White House, Trump has messed up the federal authorities by reducing the authorities, dismissing officials and shortening positions in the public service. He leads an ideology war that conservatives consider "Woke" and attacks elite universities - including Alma Mater Harvard - for "liberal indoctrination". He also promised to bring the production workplaces back to the USA and put “American workers in the first place”.

A look back at the cultural revolution

During the cultural revolution, Maos Red Garden explained the "four old" - old customs, old culture, old habits and old ideas - the war to extinguish the remains of the occurrence of China. This campaign was based on Mao's long -held belief in "destroy first, then found" - the idea that old systems, ideologies or institutions have to be destroyed before new ones can be built up.

The interest in comparison between Trump and Mao is therefore not surprising. Some Chinese notice that Trump, similar to Mao, attacks cultural and historical symbols to drive his own agenda.

The reactions in China

Some Chinese liberals are amazed at the authoritarian course, which is apparently taken in Washington, while Biden as President presented the competitive situation with China as a "democracy against authoritarianism". Thing also recognizes a threatening continuity between the past and current political currents.

conclusion and outlook

Finally, it can be said that despite all the parallels, the first 100 days of Trump's second term differ fundamentally from Mao's cultural revolution. While Mao shook the country with a huge political and social upheaval, Trump's movement remains limited to the United States. Historically, the effects of Trump's politics on American society can be critically observed. If the United States is able to repair its social contracts, there may still be hope for returning to democratic values.