Ending a Cultural Revolution Can Only Be Counter-Revolutionary (7/8)

But it impossible to argue with Han's conclusion: "The take-off of the rural economy in Jimo began not with market reforms, I have shown, but rather during the Cultural Revolution decade. Agricultural production more than doubled and a network of rural factories were established which fundamentally transformed the county's rural economy in less than 10 years. Jimo's story is not unique."

Han's assessment there based on facts, dollars and data is undoubtedly accurate, but only half the story: China is where it is today because the CR created the greatest wealth there is human capital. That is socialism's primary stated goal: allowing the realization of an individual's potential.

By taking the Chinese peasant and stripping him of all the backwardness, retardation and disempowerment we all associate with the term "peasant", China created its modern, intelligent, advanced workforce, whom nobody calls "peasant" anymore. China remains intensely committed to lifting up their lowest of the low absolute poverty is about to become effectively totally eradicated after a 5-year plan led by Xi but the CR did this en masse by reversing the existing priority of city over country in a nation which was 80% rural.

Indeed, how could Xi eliminate absolute poverty across the continent of China in just 5 years? He couldn't he is standing on the shoulders of massive efforts since 1949, and the CR is one of those strong, yet unappreciated, shoulders.

The CR has much to teach us today, but are we willing learn? That is the question of the next and final part of this series, which focuses on the flamingly obvious yet totally ignored parallels between China's Cultural Revolution and France's ongoing Yellow Vest movement.

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This is the 7th article in an 8-part series which examines Dongping Han's book The Unknown Cultural Revolution: Life and Change in a Chinese Village in order to drastically redefine a decade which has proven to be not just the basis of China's current success, but also a beacon of hope for developing countries worldwide. Here is the list of articles slated to be published, and I hope you will find them useful in your leftist struggle!

Part 1 A much-needed revolution in discussing China's Cultural Revolution: an 8-part series

Part 2 The story of a martyr FOR, and not BY, China's Cultural Revolution

Part 3 Why was a Cultural Revolution needed in already-Red China?

Part 4 How the Little Red Book created a cult 'of socialism' and not 'of Mao'

Part 5 Red Guards ain't all red: Who fought whom in China's Cultural Revolution?

Part 6 How the socioeconomic gains of China's Cultural Revolution fuelled their 1980s boom

Part 7 Ending a Cultural Revolution can only be counter-revolutionary

Part 8 What the West can learn: Yellow Vests are demanding a Cultural Revolution

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