Recently, the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece “People’s Daily” suddenly published an article calling for the term “comrade” to return to the mainstream, sparking mockery online.
On July 7, the Chinese Communist Party’s “People’s Daily” published an article titled “Addressing and Atmosphere”, acknowledging the past use of “comrade” and stating that the current forms of address are diverse, with terms like “mister”, “miss”, and “boss” flying around, eventually becoming tiresome.
The article also stated that “comrade” embodies principles of equality and camaraderie, and mentioned that in recent years there have been calls for the term “comrade” to return to the mainstream, with the article itself welcoming this trend. It also mentioned the power of the “sugar-coated shell” within address that should not be overlooked.
This article has sparked mockery among netizens in mainland China. Some netizens sarcastically commented, “Just love to do pointless things,” and “Bored after having a full stomach.”
On July 11, the mainland China self-media account “Free Poster” stated that “comrade” carries strong class attributes and is a term born in a specific historical context. The use of “comrade” is in opposition to “enemies” and serves as a camp symbol. If one comes from a disadvantaged background and is labeled with terms like “landlord”, “rich capitalist”, “reactionary”, or “rightist”, whether they are “comrades” or even just “fellow beings” becomes questionable. As George Orwell said in the novel “1984”, “People no longer have friends, only comrades.”
The article pointed out that in a high-pressure environment, people cannot be as close-knit and unified as true “comrades”, but instead become fearful, distrustful individuals. Friends drift apart, couples turn against each other, and the tragedy of infighting continues to unfold. Furthermore, even if the term “comrade” were to make a comeback, who qualifies as a comrade and who doesn’t? If everyone is labeled a comrade, what does the term truly signify? These questions seem unresolved in the article.
On the social platform X account “Li Chengpeng (the real Big Eyes)”, it was suggested that in the future, those addressing themselves as “servants” should be honored as “masters”, the descendants of red elites referred to as “young master,” “prince,” or “princess,” and others based on their status, such as “servant,” “humble servant,” “commoner,” or “guilty minister.”
Overseas netizens commented, “It seems like a new wave of movements is brewing. With too many exposed scandals and significant opposition voices, it’s time to start suppression,” and “Perhaps the term ‘communist bandit’ suits them better.” “The question arises – who shares the same aspirations with whom? What sets their aspirations apart? What connection do their aspirations have with the Communist Party?”