From time to time I blog on the apparently inexplicable affection that Taiwanese have for Nazi kitsch. Many westerners are mystified and offended. But, as Michael K. pointed out to me this weekend while we were out partying, everywhere in China, westerners can be found purchasing Mao kitsch.It goes both ways.
[Taiwan] [Nazi Germany] [Hitler] [Mao] [China]
I don't know. Both were despots, but I rank Hitler far worse than Mao. Mao wasn't about global domination.
ReplyDeleteA despot is a despot. Just because Mao didn't set out to conquer all of Asia doesn't mean it's OK to walk around in a T-shirt bearing the image of the man responsible for the Great Leap Forward (estimated number of deaths anywhere between 14 and 43 million) and the Cultural Revolution.
ReplyDeletePR, Mao most likely was about global domination, read Jung Changs biography. First he wanted China to become nuclear and military superpower, the first part being achieved in his lifetime. Fortunately he didn't get further than that. Unfortunately for the Chinese they had to suffer his madness, and Mao caused even more people's death than Hitler. It's hard to compare but I would see them both on a similar level of destruction and harm being caused, maybe only Stalin to be mentioned next to them...
ReplyDeleteGuust
Guust:
ReplyDeleteI read Jung Chang's bio of Mao. It is complete and utter garbage. As a work of history, it is not worth the paper it is printed on. I posted a review of it on my website.
I don't think it is useful to make comparisons between dictators. It they were responsible for the deaths of thousands or even millions of people and caused untold misery then that is enough. We cannot say that the misery and suffering of any group of people was better or worse.
ReplyDelete20 students in taiwan have formed NSA, a party with Hitler as hero, etaiwannews.com SUNDAY, Hitler comes to Taiwan
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