Nostalgia for the Maoist Era or for the Cold War? An Exploration of Third Front Workers’ Privileged Experiences in the Cold War Context

Abstract

In the mid-1960s, a massive number of industrial projects were launched in China’s interior, known as the Third Front Movement, a response to international tensions created by the Cold War. Although they were abandoned at the end of the Cold War, the Third Front projects left a significant impact on the country. As an embodiment of these ongoing influences, nowadays, elders sharing recollections about the Third Front projects have formed a considerable part of China’s nostalgists for the Maoist era. Based on the Third Front workers’ life experiences in Mao’s China, this article explains Maoist era nostalgia when Chinese people generally live a better life in comparison with that during the rule of Mao Zedong. Furthermore, this article explores the question of whether their nostalgia is also for the Cold War. This exploration adds to a better understanding of the rebirth of nationalist fervor in today’s China.