Alain Badiou and the Multiple Meanings of the “Cultural Revolution”

ABSTRACT: Alain Badiou’s work L’Hypothèse communiste (The Communist hypothesis) presents the “Cultural Revolution” in China as a necessary and commendable stage on the way towards the realisation of the Communist ideal. Badiou’s analysis of this event completely neglects what really happened to the Chinese during this period and shows a curious willingness on the part of the author to take literally the discourses produced by the official propaganda of the day. KEYWORDS: Cultural Revolution, Badiou.