Radical Roots: The Formation of Khmer Ideology

This chapter explores the early intellectual influences on Saloth Tsar, later known as Pol Pot, and his increasingly radical political perspectives shaped by thinkers like Stalin and Mao Zedong. It examines the Khmer communist resistance's emergence in Cambodia, detailing critical ideological shifts among Khmer students that ultimately led to severe transformations in their beliefs and actions. The discussion critiques the Khmer Rouge's ambition for societal overhaul amidst isolationist fears, emphasizing the dangers of extreme ideologies and the historical lessons ignored by those implementing radical changes.