What is the one country in the world which is characterized more than anything by change, innovation and growth? Bingo, you´re absolutely right! China, naturally. The factory of the
world is a big treasure box and surprise box too! From its top-notch technology to the amazing movements and landscapes, China has it all!
Nevertheless, it wasn´t always like that, and believe me, a lot about the biggest nation on Earth has changed in the past few decades.
The great leap forward, a plan made by Mao Zedong, China´s communist leader and the founder of the People´s Republic of China, was a completely disaster. The devasting policies of his plan, which forced millions of people to work tirelessly on state-owned farming communes and in manufacturing (low quality) industries making steel, resulted in the greatest famine ever known to human history. It was even more alarming than you can imagine, since it is estimated that it took anything between 23 to 55 million lives. W-O-W (and not in a good way…)!
As you may already expect, Mao’s popularity was in a completely new low, therefore, not only his powerful communist legacy, but also himself were in peril.
So now you´re probably thinking, how Mao, who led such a failed and nonsense plan, took the power again… Aren´t you? Hmmm? I knew you’d be asking yourselves that question. Well, the answer is simple. He had a superpower, and, when he used it, you have noooo idea what happened.
Brace yourselves… xD you’re probably going to laugh hard!
It was… swimming!!!
I can hear your voices…
“-But you said the answer was quite simple!” Ok, it wasn’t thaaaat easy to guess, I admit.
“-Swimming, what do you mean by “swimming”? Like in the water?” Well, yes! He swam across the Yangtze River to prove the world and China that he was alive and kicking and fully ready to take the lead again, (ooops…).
Mao envisioned another revolution for China, this time it was called the:
“Cultural Revolution”!
It was launched in August 1966. Although he had many opponents, a big part of the plan was to eliminate them all and conquer the youth to his cause, forming paramilitary groups called the Red Guards, by reeducating the youngest population accordingly to the Maoist principles. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand yes, it failed. Hard!
All in all, Mao had the greatest of intentions (at this point, am I still credible? Hmmm…) but he failed every movement he took the lead. Hold on, I´m being a bad person! I assure you that in one thing Mao was unbeatable and he never failed. Do you have any idea what I’m referring to?
Swimming, of course, ooohhhh my dear… swimming!
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