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Q: Red Guard Families
I've often wondered if my in-laws might have been involved in the massive killings here in China a few decades ago. There's no way to know if people you meet here took part in a genocide, or just passively stood by hoping not to be a target. They never got punished for their crimes against humanity. I imagine the worst of the lot probably moved to Beijing, because people in their hometowns will have remembered what they did in the past.
The families of Red Guards are probably among the wealthiest around China. I think it's no coincidence that Chinese have been indoctrinated to disregard all considerations of ethics, and just worship money. I do hope they will be held accountable for their crimes one day, though that seems to be a long way off.
In the Netherlands, during WWII there was a Nazi movement called the Nationaal Socialistische Beweging, or NSB. Germans liked their racially pure Dutch neighbours, so it was very appealing to be a member of this movement during the occupation. They served as informants and enforcers, and committed many crimes in service of Nazi Germany.
In China they would say this doesn't compare to the CCP because everyone is "Chinese". But I think it does compare, because Holland is a tiny country very close to Germany. By Germany's own admission, Dutch were of the Aryan race they approved of, while "Chinese" are a vast population spanning a huge territory. Before Putonghua was mandatory, most Chinese had much less in common with each other than Dutch and Germans.
The major difference is that the Nazis were punished for their crimes, as were the NSB collaborators. People in Holland ostracised the wrongdoers, and former NSB members were not likely to have reaped any profit or benefit in the end. The situation in China is very different, and I believe that this is the cause of many Chinese people being awkward in interactions. Even the most basic notions of fairness and ethics have been stamped out. People will not speak up or attempt to tackle wrongdoers of any kind, for fear of retribution. They have lost compassion for others, because attempting to help abused people might draw the ire of those who are mistreating them. CCP bullies know how dangerous a healthy sense of justice can be to them, so they have eradicated it.
So my question: Imagine some time in the future, the CCP Red Guards are held accountable for their actions. Perhaps an ultimatum will be sent to them: "Confess your crimes, return what you took from others, help us punish the bad guys, and you will receive a reduced sentence. Your family will not be prosecuted. Hide yourself and your blood money from us, and you and your family will face additional charges. Possibly death penalties for you and your collaborating relatives."
What would they choose? Keep the money, while risking the safety of their famlies? Or confess, make their families face relative poverty by returning ill-gotten gains, but safe in the knowledge that family and relatives are exonerated?
10 years 4 weeks ago in Money & Banking - China
I am going to bet they would deny everything and play victim like they always do. They would claim that ther "reward" was for aiding Mother China and that the people are trying to bully them.
Either that or flee to another country as quickly as possible (which many have done actually). I will would to think they would stand up to admitting what they have done but wouldn't that mean the Chinese government would need to apologize too for a slew of things as well?
Tiananmen Square - The Great Leap Forward - The Cultural Revolution - Taking full credit for beating the Japanese etc.
It is an interesting question. I've never really been concerned about it, the cultural revolution is a long time ago, and those who did horrible things back then would have been young, and if still alive has had plenty of time to either become decent humans or to suffer from their actions. The comparison with Nazis; I think lots of people were swept up into what went down during the pre-war years, brainwashing like we see it in China. I wouldn't be surprised if not lots of decent people in China ended up doing awful things, simply because that was how society was moving at the time.
As to my own family... unless one of the grandparents kicks the bucket soon and a treasure of gold is revealed under their bed, then I think it is safe to say they were not part of the looting crowd. We do have a geriatric family member that has had a decent government position back in the Mao days, but knowing the person I will not think there has been any further involvement other than it being a job and the odd Mao-worship.
coineineagh:
become decent humans or suffer from their actions? are you talking about a different country named china?? maybe you are in taiwan or HK?
Whenever they are finally able to have this kind of hindsight, I think it will be time to just forget and move on.
Don't look at the red guards, I mean, everyone is so full of it anyway nowadays. It being something, anything. The best way to go would just be a clean slate for everyone, forget, learn and move on.
When they get to that point, it would be time for peace, not for more vendetta. That's the best I can wish anyway.
But that's not going to happen anyway.
coineineagh:
you should never be put in charge of bank bailouts. they'd see you coming a mile away.
RiriRiri:
Make no mistake, I'm a person of very little patience and tolerance, I wouldn't grant pardon without second thought.
My point was, whenever they get to this point, it will mean that they are ready to rebuild their society and hopefully on better grounds. A society that's very badly hurt. Chasing criminals from decades ago, where proofs are most likely gone of they ever existed, would only but turn into a witch hunt and a bloody vendetta, which is the last thing a recovering community would need.
