One of the key themes I noticed during this reading was the role of blindness to see what was occurring. Many individuals who were involved were unwilling to admit that atrocities were occurring. This situation is common across many different genocides or mass murders. Most people don’t want to believe that they live in a world where individuals can commit such horrible acts of violence. As such, this pattern can also be seen in various other readings we’ve examined. During the Holocaust, many officials discounted initial reports of Nazi brutality, dismissing it as too fantastical. During the Rwandan genocide, many were reluctant to label it as a genocide, and preferred to attribute the atrocities to long-standing ethnic animosity. This pattern perhaps constitutes a defense mechanism. But while it may protect the individual, such thought processes bring risk of harm to countless others.
The other consideration that struck me was the influence of Soviet Communism. Pol Pot was inspired by China, who in turn was inspired by the Soviet Union. China even went so far as to adopt some of Russia’s industrialization and collectivization plans. It’s fascinating to consider how history would have turned out had Russia not undergone its revolution, and what repercussions may have occurred. But perhaps alternative histories wouldn’t be too drastically altered. After all, China and many Asian cultures have a more collectivist ideology, and perhaps would have naturally been drawn to a more collectivist government. Other potential historically influential events include the adoption of Communism by Vietnam, which greatly impacted Cambodian politics and history. Should any of these links been altered, the following events that transpired may have unraveled. Perhaps Pol Pot may never have come to power. Such considerations are fascinating to examine. While perhaps impractical at face value, examining these ideas forces us to view the bigger picture, and the connections between historical events and the causality that led to them.