Neo Cultural Revolution
It’s been now 36 years, when the Cultural Revolution was officially terminated and it may take another 100 years until we know really what happened and the real consequences. Nevertheless, there are some unequivocal facts like the blood spilled by the Regime to quell any sort of opposition.
The question that everyone asks is: What is Modern Chinese Culture? And the answer is a very complex universe that amounts to one form of expression to replace the old politics; the worship of money. The worship of consumerism; a ever so growing worship of the New God: Money.
This may shock many, but it should not come as a surprise. The present system can only sub exist on the basis that the population is distracted, buying the new mobile phones, cars and new flats; build in the expense of the misery of one billion people that are under one of the biggest expression of social engineering ever designed by mankind.
The only new expressions in the New China, can be described in basically on 3 levels; the new foreign logos (mostly KFC and McDonald’s), massive concrete- steel structures and the black German limousines that the Chinese leaders adore so much to receive a new one every year. As far as culture, ideals or reform it’s been the very same feudal society with a brutal Regime that operates on the basis of force and fear as in the past 5 000 years of Chinese history. Lately the NYT, have reported on the new strategy of the Government of simply “getting rid” of any individual that poses any opposition on any shape or form, while keeping the Nobel prize winner behind bars, for no good reason. The fact that world has now elected the new “darling of the global economical system”, explain that the real change has been in the way the Regime, plays and spins in the world stage with a fair amount of success. In the old days the tanks would roll on a public square, now days the oppression is perhaps much bigger and violent, but is designed with the assistance of the new technology, mostly offered by the West, to evade the eyes of the world media and local population. The trees are falling in the forest every day, but no one hears about it. And yes, with the open check buying and spending to assert its power.
It’s a sad spectacle to watch especially when all academia, politicians and elite are in support of this new social engineering experiment while enjoying their recent looted bonanza, and undeserved media attention to what amounts virtually to a state of nothingness as far as an “emerging civilisation” with new ideas, culture and progressive alternatives to the challenges of mankind. It is simply and unfortunately a nation state housing a colossal labour camp by force at the service of the corporations and the elite in power. And this includes most of all major western companies, of course with the blessing of the political powers.
So the name of the only cultural doctrine is “keeping the order” with the perpetuation of the so called “open door policy” Kai Feng, to legitimise the right of the elite to claim their wealth as the modern Mandarins of China; to earn and exploit the masses, the national wealth with unrestricted and absolute power while the people have to bend, to conform and give up their free will or any individual rights. Total power and no opposition allowed.
Let me quote a Chinese professor, a true expert in China, Confucius and world affairs Ku Hong Ming, from his book; The Spirit of the Chinese People:
Now in order to estimate the value of a civilisation, it seems to me, the question we must finally ask is not what great cities, magnificent houses, what fine roads, and is able to build; what beautiful and comfortable furniture, what clever and useful tools and institutions, what art and sciences it has invented: the question we must ask, in order to estimate the value of a civilisation – is, what type of humanity, what kind of mean and women it has been able to produce. It is the essence, the personality, so to speak, the soul of that civilisation.
And this is why we are faced with a cultural vacuum that has emerged after the Cultural Revolution in the core of this admirable people whereby in the recent past the so called modern state and new mandarins has grossly misrepresented the true spirit and culture of the Chinese Civilisation.
No doubt the cement and steel structures will one day disappear in thin dust, while the essence and the amazing Chinese Cultural Legacy will reemerge once again to illuminate the days in our future.