Since you asked and despite claims of some skeptics here, a Maoist China is, in fact, on the rise:
1. ". . . China . . . is in the midst of Maoist revival fostered in no small part by Chinese president Xi Jinping since he took on the party leadership role in 2012. In the last few months, Xi has consolidated power around himself to an unprecedented level since Mao Zedong. Xi’s moves—from scrapping the presidential term limits to adding his name to both the party’s and the state’s constitutions—have raised concerns about the return of one-man rule and personality cult of the Maoist era, a time of socially traumatic social upheaval. Mao’s Great Leap Forward collective agriculture experiment is believed to have led to tens of millions of deaths, and was followed by the decade-long Cultural Revolution—a mass movement to reinvigorate socialism and also weed out Mao’s opponents. It led to the deaths of as many as two million people, according to some estimates.
“Despite the toll of that time, at the grass-roots level, too, China has seen the rise of a ‘neo-Maoist’ movement, as many grow nostalgic for the idea of a simpler, more equal society than is visible in today’s China. Every year, tens of thousands of Mao devotees make a pilgrimage to Mao’s hometown, Shaoshan village in central China, to celebrate his birth . . . .” (“Maoism is Big in China, but Mao’s Grandson Isn’t, " by Zheping Huang, Quartz, 7 May 2018”)
2. “[While] after the 1940s (except perhaps during the Cultural Revolution) the crucial decisions were not [Chairman Mao’s] alone. . . . [L]ooking at the whole period from the foundation of the CCP in 1921 to Mao’s death in 1976, one can fairly regard Mao Zedong as the principal architect of the new China.”l (“Mao Zedong—Chinese Leader," by Stuart Reynolds Schram, Emeritus Professor of Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. and author of “The Thought of Mao Tse-tung and Others,” Encyclopedia Britannica)
Access to the moon has always had military implications.. now that something is happening on the back side .. where the US can not see what is happening.. really makes them worried.
It is significant when the U.S. has abrogated scientific exploration/research because of its insistence on short-term profits versus knowledge only obtained through research and development conducted over long periods of time. It is significant that the current U.S. attitude towards science can be summed up by the federal government’s paranoia over anyone even mentioning the term “climate change”. If I had said “global warming”, there would have been actual screaming in D.C. Other nations are taking up the mantle once held by the U.S. and they are reaping the benefits of innovative technology.
Ignorance abounds. Alberta and 6.6 obviously are oblivious to the fact that the US has had a satellite mapping the moon for the last 10 years!
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a NASA robotic spacecraft currently orbiting the Moon in an eccentric polar mapping orbit.67 Data collected by LRO has been described as essential for planning NASA’s future human and robotic missions to the Moon.8 Its detailed mapping program is identifying safe landing sites, locating potential resources on the Moon, characterizing the radiation environment, and demonstrating new technologies.
The LRO has given us really nice pictures showing the tracks left by Astronauts and their vehicles at the Apollo landing sites. Look them up, they are fun. One reason the Chinese could pick that site on the far side was because of LRO imaging.
I’m not a fan of Trump’s ham-handed, clear-as-mud approach to China, I think the tweeting cheetoh recognizes that previous policies cannot be the status quo. China is changing and with that, so does the US need to change and adapt to Mao 2.0. For those who mock the space force, it’s something that we need to do and if it makes you feel any better, it’s not an idea that originated with the current administration nor is it anything Trump dreamed up. China is going to be a bigger and bigger threat and it will include using space to become the dominant nation on earth and beyond. Nice post, Benson. Thanks.
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member over 5 years ago
The first Chinese lander and rover landed 5 years ago. What’s new is that they landed on the far side of the moon where no one else has.
The Indians hope to have a lander and rover next month.
rip_marco over 5 years ago
No worries, we’ve got the orange a$$-ferret’s Space Force to protect us.
Masterskrain Premium Member over 5 years ago
Yeah, and??
superposition over 5 years ago
Was America ever the can-do country that the rest of the world admired and wanted to imitate?
SteveBenson8 creator over 5 years ago
Since you asked and despite claims of some skeptics here, a Maoist China is, in fact, on the rise:
1. ". . . China . . . is in the midst of Maoist revival fostered in no small part by Chinese president Xi Jinping since he took on the party leadership role in 2012. In the last few months, Xi has consolidated power around himself to an unprecedented level since Mao Zedong. Xi’s moves—from scrapping the presidential term limits to adding his name to both the party’s and the state’s constitutions—have raised concerns about the return of one-man rule and personality cult of the Maoist era, a time of socially traumatic social upheaval. Mao’s Great Leap Forward collective agriculture experiment is believed to have led to tens of millions of deaths, and was followed by the decade-long Cultural Revolution—a mass movement to reinvigorate socialism and also weed out Mao’s opponents. It led to the deaths of as many as two million people, according to some estimates.
“Despite the toll of that time, at the grass-roots level, too, China has seen the rise of a ‘neo-Maoist’ movement, as many grow nostalgic for the idea of a simpler, more equal society than is visible in today’s China. Every year, tens of thousands of Mao devotees make a pilgrimage to Mao’s hometown, Shaoshan village in central China, to celebrate his birth . . . .” (“Maoism is Big in China, but Mao’s Grandson Isn’t, " by Zheping Huang, Quartz, 7 May 2018”)
2. “[While] after the 1940s (except perhaps during the Cultural Revolution) the crucial decisions were not [Chairman Mao’s] alone. . . . [L]ooking at the whole period from the foundation of the CCP in 1921 to Mao’s death in 1976, one can fairly regard Mao Zedong as the principal architect of the new China.”l (“Mao Zedong—Chinese Leader," by Stuart Reynolds Schram, Emeritus Professor of Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. and author of “The Thought of Mao Tse-tung and Others,” Encyclopedia Britannica)
cont.
Alberta Oil Premium Member over 5 years ago
Access to the moon has always had military implications.. now that something is happening on the back side .. where the US can not see what is happening.. really makes them worried.
mourdac Premium Member over 5 years ago
It is significant when the U.S. has abrogated scientific exploration/research because of its insistence on short-term profits versus knowledge only obtained through research and development conducted over long periods of time. It is significant that the current U.S. attitude towards science can be summed up by the federal government’s paranoia over anyone even mentioning the term “climate change”. If I had said “global warming”, there would have been actual screaming in D.C. Other nations are taking up the mantle once held by the U.S. and they are reaping the benefits of innovative technology.
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
Google antenna on the dark side of the moon images
There are pictures of a tower and a platform there that have been there for a very long time.
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member over 5 years ago
Ignorance abounds. Alberta and 6.6 obviously are oblivious to the fact that the US has had a satellite mapping the moon for the last 10 years!
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a NASA robotic spacecraft currently orbiting the Moon in an eccentric polar mapping orbit.67 Data collected by LRO has been described as essential for planning NASA’s future human and robotic missions to the Moon.8 Its detailed mapping program is identifying safe landing sites, locating potential resources on the Moon, characterizing the radiation environment, and demonstrating new technologies.
The LRO has given us really nice pictures showing the tracks left by Astronauts and their vehicles at the Apollo landing sites. Look them up, they are fun. One reason the Chinese could pick that site on the far side was because of LRO imaging.
guyjen2004 Premium Member over 5 years ago
I’m not a fan of Trump’s ham-handed, clear-as-mud approach to China, I think the tweeting cheetoh recognizes that previous policies cannot be the status quo. China is changing and with that, so does the US need to change and adapt to Mao 2.0. For those who mock the space force, it’s something that we need to do and if it makes you feel any better, it’s not an idea that originated with the current administration nor is it anything Trump dreamed up. China is going to be a bigger and bigger threat and it will include using space to become the dominant nation on earth and beyond. Nice post, Benson. Thanks.
mysterysciencefreezer over 5 years ago
Call back when China has people on the moon.
parkerinthehouse over 5 years ago
Dang! I love educated people!!
FrannieL Premium Member over 5 years ago
This political cartoon and history lesson is great. And it explains the Chinese objectives pretty well. Thanks you.