"When there is not enough to eat people starve to death. It is better to let half of the people die so that the other half can eat their fill."  - Chinese Dictator Máo Zédōng

In our modern era when partisan politics seem to be driving Americans further apart than ever, it's critical that we remember past atrocities to avoid slipping into their terror again. On top of that, we have new enemies to face, namely China.

China is a unique case because it didn't begin as our enemy. But over time, China has become possibly the most anti-democratic force on the planet. It all began with the Mao Revolution.

Let's break down what the Mao Revolution was and how it has affected modern geopolitics.

The Tyrannical "Great Leap Forward"

The Mao Revolution began after Chinese dictator Mao Zedong took control of the country. After the first Five Year Plan in 1958, Mao decided to take his country in the direction of grassroots socialism. In theory, this would help accelerate China’s growth into a modern, industrialized country.

To accomplish this goal, Mao implemented the Great Leap Forward. This mobilized much of China’s citizenry into collectives, essentially forcing them to work to produce single products or materials. For example, many communities were forcibly reeducated and required to create steel or face serious punishments, including execution.

The Revolution

The Mao Revolution officially began in 1966 and lasted until 1976, when Mao Zedong died. During that time, the Cultural Revolution Group (the ruling Communist Party within China) led a widespread industrial and cultural shift characterized by intense violence and a lot of chaos.

People were forced by the government to do certain jobs, to create certain products or materials, and to swear loyalty to the state above all else. Those who resisted the Mao Revolution were imprisoned or executed. Red Guards who worked for the state destroyed many Chinese historical relics and artifacts, plus ransacked ancient religious and cultural sites.

Officials throughout China were persecuted, especially senior officials (including then-Chinese president Liu Shaoqi).

The Death Toll

Even today, we don’t know the full death toll of the Mao Revolution. However, historians estimate that up to 20 million people died during the Revolution alone. This doesn’t take into account the many other people who died indirectly as a result of Mao’s actions.

Long-Term Effects of the Mao Revolution

Unfortunately, the Mao Revolution did not lead to a peaceful, democratic Chinese state. Instead, although many Maoist policies were dismantled, China is today a highly autocratic and authoritarian state. People live in fear, are surveilled constantly, and are only allowed to say certain things.

The modern CCP can be thought of as the direct descendent government to the original revolutionary government. In many ways, the Mao Revolution paved the way for China to become the enemy of the West that it is now.

As an American, it's your duty to be educated about geopolitical concerns so you can vote the right officials into office, including our senators and our president. In the future, we will need a strong president to push back against China both economically and politically. A new Cold War could be brewing, but Russia won’t be our enemy; instead, it will likely be China.

Stay strong patriots. United We Stand.

Justin