s one large family, with the monarchy as chief elders. During their rule, KR officers in the villages simply replaced traditional authorities, and received the traditional public obedience designed for survival.Historically, Cambodia’s Khmer Empire was seen as a glorious past and a model for the future, emphasizing the ability of ordinary people to accomplish huge tasks through sheer will. Nationalism and racism have also long marked Cambodian politics.As the religion of over 90% of the population, Buddhism is extremely important in Khmer society. Khmer Buddhism is marked by anti-individualism and egalitarianism, as well as stress on internal self-purification, self-denial and anti-materialism. The wide spread belief in reincarnation may also have brought such a devaluation of life, which may explain the historically high levels of rural violence in Cambodia. Finally, one more internal situation to consider is the effect of a rapidly spreading world economy on a developing country. An urban-rural split in the 1960s Cambodia, was a consequence of joining the global market. As the urban economy developed, an urban aristocracy emerged which was tied to the cities and disconnected from the peasants.Little is known about Pol Pot. He is one of the most mysterious and secretive leaders in world history. His real name was Saloth Sar. He was born sometime between 1925 and 1928 in Kompong Thom, in central Cambodia. Pol Pot became a Communist in the 1940’s and studied in Paris. Returned to Cambodia, he continued his revolutionary activities and became a leader of the Khmer Rouge forces. Pol Pot opposed both Sihanouk, the anticommunist king of neutral Cambodia, and General Lon Nol, the leader of Cambodians calling for stronger ties with the U.S. and other Western countries. He was determined to rid Cambodia of all opposition of the Khmer Rouge rule, especially those officials who cooperated with the United States, and to establish a str...
