Monday, November 15, 2021

Cai Lei on Mao versus Deng

 (Cai Lei is a Chinese leftist who regularly responds to questions - sometimes quite hostile - about China and world affairs.  You can read his material here: CaiLei - Quora .)

Cai Lei

 

Lives in China (1975–present) Updated Oct 21

When I learn about Mao Zedong, he doesn't seem like a good leader, Deng Xiaoping seems much better. Why is Mao so admired?

 

The narratives about Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping mainly come from the mainstream media in China or the West. Whether the mainstream media can represent grassroots groups is controversial.

But, The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.

Like other countries in the world, China’s mainstream media is controlled by vested interest groups, but the Chinese still have their own judgment in their hearts.

Mao Zedong represented the "Mass line"(Maintain the interests of the bottom people) and Deng Xiaoping represented the "Upper-class line"(Maintain the interests of the upper class).

Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution was aimed at the officials of the CPC and the upper class, and it was a disaster for the officials and the upper class; Deng Xiaoping's reform is aimed at the masses and a disaster for the masses!

In the past, on a whim, China.com established a number of memorial halls of founding fathers and celebrities on the forum, including the memorial halls of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.

In Deng Xiaoping's online memorial hall, few people left messages and offered flowers, the total number was only 1.96 million.

In Chairman Mao's online memorial hall, many people left messages and offered flowers, the total number was More than 124 million.

The ratio of the number of people presenting flowers at the Chairman Mao Online Memorial Hall and Deng Xiaoping Online Memorial Hall is 100:1.

Just like the slogan of Occupy Wall Street: We are the 99%

In other words, 99% of Chinese netizens presented flowers to Chairman Mao, while only 1% presented flowers to Deng Xiaoping.

Moreover, most of the comment areas where Deng Xiaoping's online memorial hall presented flowers and left messages were scolding him or deliberately commemorating Chairman Mao at Deng Xiaoping's online memorial hall (Intentionally provocative)...

China.com‘s webmaster used a lot of keywords to filter, but he still couldn't stop netizens from scolding Deng Xiaoping's comments. Later, China.com had to turn off the online memorial function.

Whether the online memorial hall represents the real grassroots public opinion, I dare not talk nonsense, but it should express people's true feelings.


Total number of flowers offered: 124,759,343

Message (in the red box at bottom): We will never forget the father of PRC


Total number of flowers offered: 1,965.174

Message (in red box at bottom): Chairman Mao, we respect you! (Intentionally provocative)

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