this post was submitted on 07 May 2025
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I'm finishing the last episode of S5 now, and I'll be fully caught up on this series. Between Afghanistan and Cambodia, China's willingness to play ball with the US and its agenda is frustrating to learn.

It leaves me wanting to learn more about the Sino/Soviet split. The way this division manifested really aligned China with some dark forces, it would seem.

I also imagine the process of "normalization" with the US plays a huge role in the way this history unfolds as well.

It makes me wonder what they knew about The Khmer Rouge's operations. I was left with the impression, based on how the history was laid out, that China was aware of just how aggressive and bloody the Khmer Rouge's policies were.

Something about that stretch of time between 79 and 89 seems to have resulted in a bunch of weird geopolitical stuff.

Need to finish this episode, I guess.

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[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The sino soviet split is one of the elephants in the room of modern leftist discourse. But hey, if China manages to become the world’s leader and spreads world wide communism, that era will be forgiven I imagine

[–] spectre@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Socialist states absolutely can and have done cringe. Western socialists ("socialists") need to understand that even when they fuck up that's still "our guy" in charge [the party]. Unfortunately, the power received in victory includes the power to fuck things up. Look it in the eye, understand it, don't repeat the same mistakes. Any westerner who starts using the word "socialist" to describe themselves must be held to this.

With people on the more liberal end, be more smug than mean:

"Oh you're 'socialist'/'anti-capitalist' too? Yeah of course the Russian, Chinese, Cuban, and Vietnamese (etc) revolutions are fascinating cause they went out and actually defeated capitalism. You don't like that some of them were revisionist? I don't agree with every decision that was made after the revolution either, that would be ridiculous with hindsight and all that. It's definitely worth discussing what went on and understanding what the decision making process was in the circumstances of those countries.If we are successful at overthrowing capitalism like you just said, we are probably going to be faced with some similar decisions. It's also important that we contrast with the more palatable movements like in Chile, Burkina Faso, and Central America that ended in failure."

[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Some resentment should be reserved for sabotaging the Soviet Union.

I’ll defend them against the US and the West, but I find it hard to be a die hard supporter of China the way some people are, considering its history in the sino-soviet split and, well, their lack of vocal ideological support for communism on the world stage

[–] Wheaties@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I think the lack of vocal calls for communism is more a strategic necessity than anything else. The US and Europe love idly speculating about regime change in China. Any active support on China's part will get spun as imperialism, and used to justify realizing those dreams of regime change. Do business with whatever institution is recognized as legitimate, keep the communism within your own boarders, and you can more safely entrench yourself within world systems.

[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I don’t think China not going publicly mask off about its gommunism, allowing it to escape western imperialism, is a convincing argument.

[–] Wheaties@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Keeping to yourself has more benefits than that. Active support always comes with the risk. A far off power throwing its weight into a set of conditions it doesn't have an on-the-ground, real time understanding off. There's always unintended consequences. The US has spent the last half-century demonstrating how that sours your global perception. China keeps to itself. China doesn't presume to know local conditions better than locals do. And hey, if local communists do manage to take power, China is there, ready and willing to do business with them.

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

This is the correct take.

The PRC was the 2nd successful anti-colonial revolution. They went through decades of struggle to free themselves, and think that every country can't skip this step, or rely on others to do it for them. Non-interventionism and maintaining trade relations with any and every country has served them well since their founding and it continues to do so.

[–] Carl@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

their lack of vocal ideological support for communism on the world stage

This is the biggest caveat to China support for me, too. Like I've read and understand the arguments that if China were to support global socialist movements the way the USSR did, they would lose a lot of the leverage and power that they've accrued for themselves in the past couple of decades - but that doesn't make it any easier to swallow them supporting right wing governments against socialist guerillas. If they're not going to send PLA volunteers to aid the rebels then at the very least they should use their neutrality to play some wishy washy word games about how they can't get involved!

Plus, I think there needs to be a reckoning with the fact that in every way that matters China is the largest power in the world right now. America's hegemonic status has been broken for a long time and the rest of the world is just figuring it out, China might see it in its interest to keep the dollar as the world reserve currency or whatever but they absolutely have room to be making moves that advance the socialist cause.

[–] bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Why should China be advancing the socialist cause directly in whatever nation? This is precisely the biggest blunder the USSR did and a historical lesson we should have learned already, why keep insisting on this. China already does their part by leading with example and proving that socialism is a superior system, the responsibility for liberating one own nation falls in the shoulders of the respective nation citizens. If a country wants a revolution they can have it, if not they won't, the Chinese wanted a revolution and they had it, Russians wanted a revolution and they had it, etc...

[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Why should China be advancing the socialist cause directly in whatever nation?

Then why should any socialist support China?

[–] CutieBootieTootie@hexbear.net 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Because the vast majority of socialists who can read this reside in imperial entities who wish to see China crushed. Part of the socialist struggle for internationalism is also defending anti-colonial and anti-capitalist struggles abroad, even if they're not perfect, the net effect of opposing our current system in a real way is more important.

[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 1 points 3 months ago

The vast majority of us reading are fucking peasants who need China to be the ray of light.