Fin vs History xG (Expected Genocide) | Pol Pot (Part 3/4)
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Nov 10, 2025 The Khmer Rouge's rise to power leads to a shocking 'Year Zero' where money and institutions vanish. Individual identity is stripped away, with enforced uniformity and limited possessions like a single spoon. Intellectuals become targets in a brutal purge, and the chilling S21 prison reveals horrifying interrogation methods. Casualty figures escalate, illustrating the lethal toll, particularly among men and children. The episode critiques the regime's extreme, misguided application of communist ideologies in a largely agrarian society.
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Year Zero: A Total Social Reset
- Pol Pot declared 'Year Zero' and tried to erase history by abolishing money, religion, family and institutions.
- He aimed to reboot society into a rural, self-sufficient utopia centered on rice farmers.
Demonetizing Society Breeds Violence
- The Khmer Rouge forcibly demonetized the economy by burning money and dismantling markets and banks.
- Without currency, social value shifted to reputation and survival, fueling denunciations and killings.
The 'Super Great Leap Forward'
- Pol Pot attempted to outpace Mao with an even faster, radical agrarian revolution called a 'Super Great Leap Forward.'
- Rapid, reckless policies collapsed the economy and stripped infrastructure overnight.
