In 2022, protests in China highlighted rising discontent with Xi Jinping's grip on power, evoking memories of Mao Zedong's era. Protesters demanded reform over radical upheaval, fearing increasing repression and a burgeoning personality cult. Interestingly, comparisons extend beyond China, as some view Donald Trump's governance in the U.S. as reminiscent of Mao's chaotic leadership style, leveraging disruption to consolidate authority. While the analogy underscores unsettling political parallels, the differences in governance structures and protections in the U.S. temper the comparisons, illustrating the unique challenges each nation faces with its leadership.
When rare protests flared in China in 2022, one slogan read: We want reform, not a Cultural Revolution.
They see a proud nation felled not by an external threat, but by the unbridled ego of the man at the top.
Like Mao, preparing to unleash the Cultural Revolution almost 60 years ago, he appears to believe that a brighter future will be reached through great disorder under heaven.
Obviously, the analogy can only go so far. The decade-long Cultural Revolution saw perhaps 2 million people killed or hounded to their deaths.
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