Fri, Sep 15, 2006 page8

• Is Shih fostering a Cultural Revolution?

  • By Paul Lin 林保華
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  A Chinese joke goes, "you won't know how low your government post is until you are in Beijing, you won't know how poor you are until you are in Shanghai and you won't know how unhealthy you are until you are in Hainan." To this one can now add: "You won't know that the Cultural Revolution is still going on until you are in Taiwan." Although the Cultural Revolution was launched by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) chairman Mao Zedong (毛澤東) and there is no Mao here, after observing the current situation, I tend to agree.

  Mao launched the Cultural Revolution in the name of culture, but it was in fact aimed at toppling then Chinese president Liu Shaoqi (劉少奇). My two strongest impressions of the Cultural Revolution are the use of information and the dictatorship of the masses.

  Mao started the Cultural Revolution through government-controlled publications -- the People's Daily, the People's Liberation Daily and Hongqi Magazine. Their editorials, special reports and articles by members of the "proletarian headquarters" moulded public opinion. After the "red shock wave" was initiated, the nation moved in unison. Those who were named, were immediately criticized and denounced at public meetings. To protect themselves, officials at lower party levels disclosed information about people in their area or departments to label them all "monsters and demons."

  These people -- referred to as the "five black classes," later expanded to eight -- were not arrested. Rather, they were exposed by the dictatorship of the masses and the "five red classes." They were paraded through the streets to be reproached, beaten and spat on. At the time, doctors would ask about one's background, and if there was any connectiontto someone in the five black classes, treatment was refused. China was immersed in a red terror.

  The CCP spread slogans to encourage violence against "bad" people. The struggle aggravated social division, almost paralyzed the government and brought the economy to the brink of collapse.

  After Mao seized power and successfully implemented the "grand revolutionary coalition," neither side approved of people from the other side. As a result, one faction emerged and took power -- still requiring approval from above -- while the five black categories were slowly rehabilitated.

  Taiwan's culture of disclosure is similar to the Cultural Revolution's attitude to "question and attack everything." Taiwan's pro-independence forces are now being beaten and forced to apologize just like the "five black classes." Where is the democracy in that? In fact, China is the one manipulating this populism. Although there is no Mao here, China's influence is everywhere.

  Finding a politician like Shih Ming-teh (施明德) who has never been to China is not easy. Unfortunately, the presence of people like fugitive tycoon Chen Yu-hao (陳由豪) in the Million Voices Against Corruption campaign -- as well as pro-unification politicians, entertainers who rely on the big China market and China-backed gangsters -- has changed Shih's position in the political spectrum. I worry that Shih's campaign will bring the Cultural Revolution back from the dead. The question is, is he in control?

  The Cultural Revolution brought disaster to China and Beijing knows that if political intimidation and military coercion do not change Taiwan, it can use the campaign to depose Chen to create a cultural revolution to divide Taiwan.

  But will deposing Chen satisfy China's ultimate goal of controlling Taiwan?

  The government and opposition must gain a clear understanding of the issue.

  Paul Lin is a political commentator based in Taipei. Translated by Lin Ya-ti
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