The imperial Chinese governments never engaged themselves in heavy handed censoring. (Silbergeld, 299) Maoist art censorship was much different then the ideal held by most of the means by which this art has been censored. While in the western world we see censorship as "hard- fisted bureaucrats who know only politics and little of art and who are readily identifiable by artists as outsiders and enemy intruders", (Silbergeld, 300) the idea of discipline as well as obligation and pride were built into the structure of art censorship in socialist china.
Much like Plato's Republic every citizen and occupant of the state has their own place, and if you want to be an artist, then you have to make that your place. In order to reach the "higher echelons" of china's art world the artist had to join an art association. (Silbergeld, 301) Membership was granted after careful scrutiny of ones art, social lifestyle, and political mindset. In this way only those with state beneficial intentions could become artists. The author of "Art Censorship in Socialist china: A Do It Yourself System" said that the other artists in this association were effectually "agents of the state". Once membership to one of these mass union organizations was gained, the artist is subjected to scrutiny of his work by his peers. He has an obligation to paint what he knows is beautiful to the entire group. Therefore the entire group works as a vehicle of cultural censorship. .
This for of censorship was able to be successful because of the Chinese background of Confucianism that denied most Chinese laymen individuality. (Silbrgeld, 300) Mao Zedong Also saw the importance of art to revolution. According to Writer Jerome Silbergeld, Chairmen Mao once said that "revolutionary literature and art are part of the whole revolutionary cause, they are the cogs and wheels in it." (Silbergeld, 300) It is apparent than, that Mao Zedong knew the importance of art to not only aid his revolution, but the revolution of any other against him.
Censorship in music has been a major problem plaguing America since the early nineteen forties. ... His experience with censorship resulted in his extreme dislike of any form of excluding and/or labeling a musicians" art. ... Is this not America? This is not China! ... So all you right-wingers, left-wingers, bigots, Communists, There IS a place for you in this world! ...
There were hardly any African Americans on the popular music scene. ... McCarthy gained control during the Cold War, accusing anyone and everyone of being a communist menace. ... Vice President Spiro Agnew believed that "music glorified drug use," and that the "drug culture" was propagated by pop, and publicly advocated song censorship. Art Linkletter, a TV personality in the 1960s asserted that half of the popular records were "concerned with secret messages to teenagers to drop out, turn on, and groove with chemicals," and also publicly advocated censorship and blacklisting. A popular belief...
Most people who have studied freedom of the press agree that one of its fundamental conditions in America is the doctorine of no prior restraint of publication. ... Communist theory will the our focus. ... This is not so in countries like Cuba, China and North Korea. ... Songs have to go through the censorship board. ... Pornography can be perceived as art to some people. ...
No one wanted to take a chance on a novel about past, present of future censorship. Fahrenheit 451 is a clear reaction to the McCarthy era in which it was written; the near future book burning society is a logical projection of the world of 1950's middle class America. ...
