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Culture War Roundup for the week of May 12, 2025

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But it is a requirement for ruling China. The communist party knows that its mandate comes from being able to "Keep everyone at a reasonable standard of living" ; in fact, the mandate for anyone ruling China, communist or not, is to fulfill that need.

That it is not, as Mao demonstrated.

It is perhaps more accurate to consider the pre- and post-Mao CCP as entities that share continuity but otherwise represents a break, in the same way that the Tang overthrew the Sui in the 6th century (after the Sui were bankrupting the country to invade Goguryeo) but essentially retained its edit: broad institutions and ministries.

One important thing to note about the Mandate of Heaven is that it is less extensive than the divine right of kings elsewhere in the world. The right to rebellion is explicitly written into the Mandate of Heaven.

It is perhaps more accurate to consider the pre- and post-Mao CCP as entities that share continuity but otherwise represents a break

In which case you have precious little precedent to demonstrate that it is necessary to guarantee reasonable standards of living to rule China.

I don't even know how to respond to this. Did I not explain further literally in the same sentence?

I mean, compared to the disasters and mismanagement that occurred pre-mao, the great leap forward really isn't that much worse. Regardless, Deng came to power right after and instituted his reforms; I'd say a prolonged period of mismanagement would have definitely sparked another revolution.