Is Xi Going to Launch Cultural Revolution 2.0?

Regardless of how many skyscrapers are rising in Chinese cities, the Party and its leadership remain committed to socialist ideology.

A recent blog by a virtually unknown author calling for the returning of the “red revolution” has sent shockwaves in China. The tone and the language the author used reminded people of the catastrophic “Cultural Revolution” (1966-1976), a decade-long social, political, and cultural movement that caused endless chaos in China and was responsible for the death of tens of millions. 

The blog began by enthusiastically endorsing Beijing’s recent crackdown on what the author’s called the “rotten” entertainment industry. The Chinese government deleted some of its biggest celebrities’ names from all digital existence, imposed a significant tax penalty on a well-known movie star, and lashed out at Chinese male role models being “too effeminate.” The blog also criticized popular Chinese companies such as Didi Global and Alibaba as “foreign agents standing in opposition to the people.” The blog deemed the government’s crackdowns on tech companies and the entertainment industry as necessary so “th…