In Maoist China, the regime employed a rigid system of identity categories to divide and control the population, most notably through the “red” and “black” classifications. The “red” category included those deemed loyal to the Communist Party—workers, peasants, and revolutionary soldiers—while the “black” category encompassed perceived enemies of the state, such as landlords, capitalists, and intellectuals. These labels were not mere descriptors but tools of social engineering, designed to pit groups against one another, justify purges, and dismantle traditional societal bonds. By fostering resentment and mistrust, Mao’s identity politics eroded community cohesion, replacing it with a fractured hierarchy where allegiance to the state superseded all else, ultimately destabilizing Chinese society for decades.

Fast forward to the present, and the “woke” identity categories of today—centered around race, gender, sexuality, and privilege—bear a striking resemblance to Mao’s framework, though cloaked in progressive rhetoric. Instead of “red” and “black,” we have “oppressor” and “oppressed,” with whiteness, maleness, or heterosexuality marking one as inherently guilty, while marginalized identities confer moral superiority. Like their Maoist predecessors, these categories are weaponized to sow division, encouraging individuals to see themselves and others primarily through the lens of grievance or shame. The result is a society obsessed with policing language, canceling dissenters, and dismantling shared cultural norms under the guise of justice, mirroring the Cultural Revolution’s assault on tradition and unity.

The broader point is that identity politics, whether Maoist or woke, are not about liberation but destruction. By reducing individuals to immutable traits or ideological loyalty, they fracture the social fabric, turning neighbors into adversaries and dialogue into denunciation. This corrosion serves those in power—be it a totalitarian regime or a cultural elite—by weakening collective resistance and redirecting energy toward internal conflict. Both systems reveal a timeless truth: when identity becomes the battleground, society itself becomes the casualty, leaving behind a hollowed-out shell ripe for manipulation and control.