To preface, it is correct that the cultural revolution was a mistake and to a certain extent revisionist, along with causing great harm. However,
I watched the documentary “how Yukong moved the mountains” a while back. It’s a good watch if you have the time(and trust me, you need a lot of time), and honestly I can’t help but feel a little jealous.
The documentary shows worker self management, military egalitarianism, etc. (I’m unsure how much these things exist in China today. I know workers control the means of production but I dont know the spirit in which said management occurs over there, per se. And the military I just know very little about)
Its astetics, and I know this. I also know it doesn’t matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice. But in my, perhaps a little too idealistic, heart, I do wish we could eat our cake and have it too. Have that same society so focussed on socialist principles while also having the development of modern China.
Idk, maybe we’ll see in a few years as china develops into a modern socialist country, but for now I like fantasizing, alright?
Edit:I think maybe boring is the right term for it. When I study revolution and imagine potential revolution, I don’t tend to imagine a result that’s similar to my own current existence, just slightly better. I want things to be radically different, avant-garde even. Even if i can logically reconsile the necessary requirements for the development of higher stages of socialism, my emotional part wants more.
China has of course opened up. As part of the process of development capital and private enterprise have been allowed in, consumerism, etc. This has upsides and downsides but is part of a historical process.
However if you are taken with the way things were in the cultural revolution I suggest you’d strongly identify with the state of things in the DPRK. Due to severe sanctions, isolation, and Juche the culture there probably more strongly resembles in some ways at least parts of the cultural revolution that you mention enjoying than anywhere else except perhaps Cuba.