Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge

To establish a new society, new people must be created. This was the slogan of the Khmer Rouge. Daniel Bultmann's book traces the origins of the movement under Pol Pot, the measures taken to reshape the state, the causes of the escalation of violence, and the aftermath of the Communist Party of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge revolution is considered one of the most brutal and radical state crimes of the 20th century. Under their rule, an estimated two million people died between 1975 and 1979. The goal was to implement a socialist program that would ultimately lead to an egalitarian state of workers and peasants. However, the Khmer Rouge planned not only a reorganization of society but also the transformation of the most intimate thoughts and desires of their subjects. Forced labor, indoctrination, self-criticism sessions, and more were part of this.