The Tragedy of Liberation
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When Mao Zedong successfully took control of China in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party called this a "liberation." And indeed many people across China, and even internationally, assumed China would experience a profound period of change that would beneficial for all its people. Of course, in 2023, we have the luxury of hindsight to know this was not the case.
The Tragedy of Liberation is the first of Frank Dikotter's "People's Trilogy" that aims to explore the early period of the Chinese revolution from 1945 to 1957, weaving historical narrative with a healthy amount of primary sources from Chinese citizens who lived through the horrors of this transformative era.
In order to understand the current global political landscape, an exploration of modern Chinese history is worthwhile. If people enjoy this book, we can eventually read the other two in Dikotter's trilogy, which focus on the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.
We'll meet at La Farm in Cary, where you can grab a coffee or dessert to accompany the discussion.