Pol Pot

[Yearzero]

Does anyone here feel that pol pot has been unjustly demonized by the west as has happened to other Marxist leaders? I myself believe that year zero is a good plan and ideal but it could have been carried out better. The Revolution cannot succeed unless the old imerialist ways are comletly smashed and a revolutionary society is started from scrath Pol Pot saw this and no for all he tried to accomplish is demonized.

[scarletghoul]

Yes, Pol Pot has been ridiculously caricatured as a 1 dimensional bloodthirsty crazy Khmer.. Even among leftists, there is no material analysis and the Khmer Rouge is generally seen as just something pure black and evil not to be considered with anything other than horror.

But this doesn't mean that Pol Pot was correct and worth upholding. He was good at a few things, but in general was a failure.

The "Year Zero" was poorly organised and everything. Also it's not really an ideal/theory that should be used by other revolutionary movements. Kampuchea adopted Year Zero because the whole country's infrastructure had been destroyed by US bombs, because the cities were decaying and on the edge of starvation, and the country generally had nothing to lose and a fresh start was the only way forward. But that would be a terrible thing to try and implement in a country with any significant industrial development. Yes, we must of course smash imperialist and capitalist ways, but we should never throw away all the positive things the old society has brought us, for without them socialism would not be attainable.

Also, welcome to RevLeft, and be prepared for a torrent of "OMGF POL POT WAS A PRIMITOFASCIST MONSTERRR" replies.

[Blackscare]

http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/2/23/Troll.jpg

[Yearzero]

Yes, Pol Pot has been ridiculously caricatured as a 1 dimensional bloodthirsty crazy Khmer.. Even among leftists, there is no material analysis and the Khmer Rouge is generally seen as just something pure black and evil not to be considered with anything other than horror.

But this doesn't mean that Pol Pot was correct and worth upholding. He was good at a few things, but in general was a failure.

The "Year Zero" was poorly organised and everything. Also it's not really an ideal/theory that should be used by other revolutionary movements. Kampuchea adopted Year Zero because the whole country's infrastructure had been destroyed by US bombs, because the cities were decaying and on the edge of starvation, and the country generally had nothing to lose and a fresh start was the only way forward. But that would be a terrible thing to try and implement in a country with any significant industrial development. Yes, we must of course smash imperialist and capitalist ways, but we should never throw away all the positive things the old society has brought us, for without them socialism would not be attainable.

Also, welcome to RevLeft, and be prepared for a torrent of "OMGF POL POT WAS A PRIMITOFASCIST MONSTERRR" replies.


Thanks and im prepared Ive always had a kinda stalinist outlook and I get those reply's alot. Alot of people dont want to associate anyone who has a bad rep with the movement then again which marxist leader does over here. Its an effective strategy by the imperialists to demonize some leaders so there contributions are forgotten.

[Chimurenga.]

cue poster Thomas Sankara..

[Blackscare]

cue poster Thomas Sankara..


I don't think he's been on since that pill thread.

[thälmann]

this year zero shit is totally against marxism and materialism, its an idealistic plan, and it was a total disaster.

[Comrade Marxist Bro]

Does anyone here feel that pol pot has been unjustly demonized by the west as has happened to other Marxist leaders? I myself believe that year zero is a good plan and ideal but it could have been carried out better. The Revolution cannot succeed unless the old imerialist ways are comletly smashed and a revolutionary society is started from scrath Pol Pot saw this and no for all he tried to accomplish is demonized.

That is so true, you cannot build a new revolutionary society unless you start from scratch; the Year Zero was just an attempt at bringing justice to the capitalists.

[Hit The North]

If you destroy the economic and knowledge infrastructure of a society how do you hope to build a new one which is economically superior and can sustain a society of equality which has abolished scarcity? Short answer: no chance.

Those who advocate such a nihilistic plan are enemies of people everywhere, are the most despicable reactionaries, and certainly don't belong on Revleft.

[Comrade Marxist Bro]

If you destroy the economic and knowledge infrastructure of a society how do you hope to build a new one which is economically superior and can sustain a society of equality which has abolished scarcity? Short answer: no chance.

Those who advocate such a nihilistic plan are enemies of people everywhere, are the most despicable reactionaries, and certainly don't belong on Revleft.

The bourgeois intellectuals will call any attempt to proletarianize the economic and knowledge infrastructure of a society as an act of destruction. The same was said of the Bolsheviks when they purged Russia of their national bourgeoisie and the rest of the reactionary elements.

[Uppercut]

I view Pol Pot as more of a primitivist than a communist. Of course, I don't know the history of the Khmer Rouge entirely, but I still view his as a negative figure.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Pol Pot was a nutjob.

[Sasha]

since the OP been restricted - thread closed