Stephen Bell

A Chinese Comrade’s Comment on Westerners’ insult of Chairman Mao [I was writing about what Kylian Mbappé's remarks on Mao Zedong revealed about the ignorance in the West about China and will continue deal with it in the dry language of facts. But I can't match the eloquence of someone who is Chinese writing on this because of their lived experience of China. The post below, from Amy Yang's substack, substack.com/@amy_yang00 should be read by everyone in the West, who wants to understand the real issue of Mao Zedong and China - JR] (Every word in this comment hit directly to my heart. I have to admit that I have no talents to formulate it as beautifully as this comrade. As my English translation may have lost some of the beauty of Chinese languages in this comment, I put the original comment in Chinese after the English translation. Although this comment is written regarding Kylian Mbappé’s insult, he is just an example of countless Westerners, both left right and even “Marxists”, who have insulted Chairman Mao and the Communist Party of China. This is also the reason why I started writing articles about Chinese Marxism and anti-imperialism online. It feels extremely painful when our identity, real communists and anti-imperialists in a real socialist country, is repeatedly denied and even demonised by Westerners, especially those on the left. Western leftists try to steal the communist and anti-imperialist identity from us while lecturing us on how to build socialism. And this is not an exception, but a common practice, as they have been stealing identities of our siblings, the Arabic people, for many centuries. But we will uphold our beliefs and continue building our countries. The sun will rise from the east in near future, and the day of judgement will come soon.) Here is the English translation of the comment, the audience “you” refers to other Chinese comrades) Have you ever wondered why Westerners show no desire to understand why we hold our leader in such high regard—and why they insist on stigmatizing both his monumental achievements and our own patriotic sentiments? Is this merely a matter of ideological conflict, or perhaps a form of "cognitive warfare" driven by industrial rivalry? Have you considered that there might be deeper, underlying reasons? The reality is this: The greatness of Chairman Mao lies in the fact that—after our 5,000-year-old civilization had collapsed into a blood-soaked century of humiliation—he was the one who helped us stand back up. He laid a foundation that halted the decline of Chinese civilization, paved the way for its current resurgence, and began to strike at the very theoretical foundation of the global imperial world order. This blow sent shockwaves through the descendants of the Eight-Nation Alliance, the remnants of the Second World War, and the heirs to various colonial and imperial Western powers—who swarmed out like bats in a cave suddenly exposed to fire. Why is this the case? We often reflect on that century of humiliation as if it were entirely our own fault—a psychological framework adopted to accelerate our progress, though it is neither comprehensive nor entirely objective. In doing so, we overlook a crucial historical fact: That wretched century of humiliation was the direct result of colonialism, which took root after 1840. Most of today’s developed nations are the successors to those very same colonial states. From our perspective, we brought an end to a century of humiliation; but from the perspective of the Western powers, we brought an end to a century of plunder. In our preoccupation with self-reflection, we seem to have forgotten what the names "Britain," "France," "Germany," "Japan," and "Italy" truly represent—and we have forgotten that each of these nations once struck us across the face when we refused to continue paying them tribute. Do you honestly expect the "civilized world"—composed of the descendants of these powers—to speak well of us? Can you imagine them—faced with our profound, fundamental rejection of the very legitimacy of colonialism and imperialism—happily laying flowers at the feet of the man who led the greatest resistance against them? One could even argue that the fabrications regarding Xinjiang are merely the latest, malicious project in the West’s ongoing campaign to smear China. It just so happens that our generation is witnessing this new "project" unfold in real-time. Our revolutionary martyrs, meanwhile, have had to endure even greater, more unjust vilification. If you read the history, you will understand. Chairman Mao—and indeed an entire generation of martyrs—sought to rescue the Chinese nation from the chaotic, colonial era unleashed by the West. Modern China was not a fresh start in a real-time strategy game, nor was it an empty chessboard; it was a broken, shambolic mess left behind by a fallen giant. Self-reflection should be a means of self-preservation, not an attempt to whitewash the actions of others. Setting aside the past is a step toward the future, not a way to blur the lines between right and wrong. The "giant" focused on recovery because its very cells were living, breathing people. We are striving toward true democracy—in the literal sense: the people acting as masters of their own destiny. The fact that we do not spend every day demanding blood reparations from the Eight-Nation Alliance that once invaded us does not mean their nature has changed; rather, it reflects an evolution in our own perspective. Yet, you must realize that the descendants of the colonialists have no intention of letting us be. They seek to frame those we failed to save as our own failures, attributing the lingering trauma from a period of historical decline to our own inherent flaws—ultimately labeling us as "uncivilized" to argue that we lack the standing to challenge these wealthy descendants of colonialists and the "civilizational" ideologies they have concocted. This historical narrative mirrors the tactics they employ before a "color revolution": they impose an illegal blockade on a target nation, and the moment that nation faces a crisis, they declare it as "uncivilized." They turn external oppression into internal self-loathing. Look at the rumors spreading everywhere today—this so-called "consensus" manufactured by former colonialists and current imperialists—can you sense the malice behind it? They force us to view a political leader in total isolation from their environment—as if scrutinizing a performer on a stage—which is utterly absurd! What is the reality? Chairman Mao was a firefighter in the face of history—a figure leading an emergency rescue operation, rebuilding a civilization from its own ruins. We were not merely "failing to perform well" on a world stage; we were fighting for survival amidst raging infernos, gasping for air under a blockade, and producing goods from within the trenches. For so many years—enduring the relentless persecution of the "empire on which the sun never sets," the Eight-Nation Alliance, and even fascist executioners—the mere survival of our entire nation has already exhausted every ounce of our strength, leaving us utterly drained, both physically and mentally. Even in such dire straits, we remained their targets—as if it were the eternal fate of the weak to be preyed upon by the strong. We lacked even the option to attach ourselves to a powerful patron—nor, for that matter, did we have any desire to do so. In the early days of the nation, our leaders—tested in the crucible of war—withstood an unprecedented assault by a seventeen-nation coalition, led by the most formidable powers in human history at the zenith of their might. We are, of course, grateful for these "firefighters." Our admiration is rooted in reason; history has taught us lessons written in blood—can a mere accusation of "brainwashing" truly negate that? And who are these "fire-starters"? They are the very ancestors of those who spread these lies today. In modern parlance, they have a clear conflict of interest—they ought to have recused themselves! Yet, the very people who inflicted these bloody lessons upon us are now the ones telling us to reject the lessons themselves—isn't this akin to a murderer appointing himself as the judge? Must we be so foolish as to accept such a verdict, only then to be credited with "independent thinking"? That is a servility that runs to the very marrow of one's bones! The reality remains brutal: those same "interested parties"—the colonizers—still control the world’s primary resources, and their influence has yet to fully fade. There are hardly any "neutral" bystanders left in the world. After all, the essence of colonialism lies in seizing the lands of these very "third parties," ensuring that no one can remain an uninvolved observer—effectively "formatting" everyone into mere factors of production. At the same time, shattering our spiritual totems and destroying the common ground of the Left is an urgent priority for them. It is a crucial step in maintaining the internal coherence of Western ideology. They cannot allow the ultimate heroes of anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism to be celebrated or cherished. If it is said that a person’s true death occurs when they are forgotten by everyone, then this current war of public opinion is nothing less than a symbolic assassination of anti-colonial heroes by the West—waged through rumors, fallacies, and treachery, stopping at nothing. (This is also the root cause of our deep-seated resentment toward the "Western Left"—we sense that something of ours has been usurped and stolen, even if we cannot quite articulate exactly what.) As for the heirs—still feasting on the dividends of that bygone era, exuding the smug superiority of an old aristocracy—how can anyone claim that colonialism has truly come to an end? Isn’t their call for you to "let go of your hatred"—while they themselves continue to spend their ill-gotten gains—simply a ploy to avoid being held to account by you? It is hardly surprising that the sinister tentacles and eyes of their true nature are now suddenly emerging from beneath the surface of their so-called "consensus." We must remain confident in our own judgment. The foundations laid by our civilization have led to a doubling of life expectancy, a 200-fold increase in GDP, and the greatest poverty-alleviation endeavor in human history—achievements that deserve every bit of praise humanity can offer. Our affection and admiration are grounded in reality and hard data; it is precisely these unfolding, tangible realities that leave them so rattled. Do not back down. 下面是中文原文： 你有没有想过，西方人为什么不想理解我们爱戴自己的领袖原因，为什么要将领袖伟业和我们的态度双双污名化？仅仅是意识形态冲突，或是产业冲突驱动的认知战吗？ 你有没有想过更深层次的原因？ 实情是这样的： 教员的伟大之处，是五千年的文明巨人倒在百年耻辱的血泊之后，第一次站起身来，为中华文明的下行期进行筑底，并且在现今确实实现了崛起，开始捶打殖民世界的理论根基。 这一捶打不要紧，八国联军、二战余孽，各种前殖民主义者的继承人们倾巢而出，像洞穴里见了火的蝙蝠一样。 为何如此呢？ 我们通常把长达百年的耻辱当做自己的错来反思，这是为了加快进步速度的一种心理建设，它没有描述一切因素，并不足够客观。这导致让我们忽略了一个历史要点： 这糟糕的百年耻辱，就是1840后的殖民主义带来的，而现在的发达国家却大多是这些老牌殖民主义帝国的继承者。从我们自己的视角，是结束了百年耻辱，但从西方列强的视角，那是结束了百年掠夺啊。 过于强调自省的我们，似乎忘了英、法、德、日、意等等这些名字背后继承着什么，忘了他们每人脸上或多或少都有我们拒绝继续上供时的巴掌。 你指望这些人后代构成的“文明世界"能说你什么好话吗？你指望他们面对我们这种最殖民主义合理性最深刻否定，心安理得的为反抗他们的最伟大英雄献上鲜花吗？ 甚至可以说，新疆谣言，已经是西方对中国恶毒抹黑的新一代工程了。只是这个全新项目让我们这代人赶上现场直播了而已。先烈们只会承受更大的不白之冤。 你要是理清了历史脉络，你就会明白。 教员乃至整整一代先烈，是从西方开启的殖民乱世中尽可能的拯救中华民族，近代中国不是新开的即时战略游戏，不是无子的空棋盘，而是跌倒巨人的烂摊子。 自省是为了自救，不是为了洗白对方。搁置过去是为了奔向未来，不是为了混淆是非。巨人专注于恢复，是因为巨人的细胞是一个个活生生的百姓，我们在奔向真正的民主，字面意义上的人民做主。没有天天和侵略过我们的八国联军讨要血债，不意味着他们突然身份有了变化，是我们的境界有了变化。 然而你要明白，殖民主义者后代没想放过我们，要把没救到的人污蔑成我们自己的错误，把我们在历史下行期吃到的后续伤害，当做自身的问题，最终解释为不够文明，并论证我们因此不足以反对富裕的殖民者后代及其编造的“文明思想"。 这种历史发展脉络，就如同他们颜色革命前，对目标国进行封锁，只要该国出了问题，就说国家不文明。 把外部的压迫，内化成内部的自恨。现在你看这漫山遍野的谣言，这前殖民者你侬我侬出来的所谓共识，体会到那种恶意了么？ 他们逼迫我们隔绝环境孤立得去看一个政治家，像是去审视一个台上的艺人，这是何等的荒谬！现实是什么？教员是历史的救火队啊，是历史的抢险救灾，是中华文明的废墟重建。 我们不是舞台上没演好，我们是在烈焰中求存，在封锁中喘息，在战壕中生产。那么多年来，日不落帝国、八国联军、甚至是法西斯刽子手的多次迫害下，整个民族能活着就已经耗尽全力，身心俱疲。在这样的绝境中，我们仍被针对，像是强者永恒的宿命，连依附的权力都没有，更何况我们也不想。 开国后教品已然火中效人 还而住了地球上史无前例的十七国联军进攻，这十七国由人类有史以来最强大的国家，在他们的黄金时期率领。 这样的“消防员“我们当然感激，我们的爱戴非常理性，历史天天给我们拿血上课，是你一句“洗脑"能否定的？ 火是谁，就是造谣之人的祖先。按照现在的话来讲，利益相关，应该回避的。给我们血之教训的人是你，说不要接受这种教训的，也是你，这不是杀人区手当法官吗？我们非要蠢到接受这种裁断才算独立思考吗？卑微到骨子里了！ 现实仍然残酷，当今这些“利益相关”的殖民者还在把握世界的主要资源，影响力还没完全褪色。全世界就找不到几个"第三方"看客了。毕竟殖民主义的本质，就是抢夺这些"第三方”的土地，让世上不存在置身事外的看客，将他们全都格式化成生产要素。 同时，打断我们的精神图腾，摧毁左翼的最大公约数，是他们急需要做的事。也是能保持西方意识形态能自圆其说的重要环节。不能让反殖民主义的最终英雄得到鲜花与爱戴。 如果说一个人的最终死亡是被所有人遗忘。那么现在这场舆论战，就是西方对反殖民英雄的意象谋杀。用谣言，用谬误，用奸佞，无所不用其极。（这也是我们憎恨白左的深层原因，我们能感觉到什么东西被鸠占鹊巢了，但说数不清楚。） 继承者嘴里还嚼着当年的红利，浑身散发老贵族的优越感呢，你怎么能说殖民主义彻底结束了呢？ 他们一边花赃款一边劝你放下仇恨，不就是避免被你清算吗？现在他们的共识里突然露出邪恶的触手和眼睛，再正常不过了。 而我们要自信自己的判断，文明筑底后带来的人均寿命翻倍，GDP200倍提升，人类最伟大扶贫工程，更是值得一切人间溢美之词。我们的爱戴与赞美，有现实和数据支撑，让他们破防的，也正是这一幕幕正在发生的现实，不要退缩。