ABSTRACT
Class warfare was a key element of the CPK’s ideology, pitting the poor Base people from the countryside against the New people from the cities, who were accused of living extravagantly through the exploitation of rural peasant labor. Democratic Kampuchea was intended to be a classless society, but there was a distinct hierarchy in the labor camps that privileged Base people over New people. Although resentments persisted, these two groups interacted in the form of trade. Khmer Rouge cadres allowed many of the Base people to keep surplus rice, while Khmers from the cities had valuables that the Base people coveted. Despite the ban on trade, there was a demand for city goods, and Base people were willing to risk punishment to barter for jewelry, gold, and clothing. This chapter examines the power dynamic between the Base and New people and argues that the Khmer Rouge’s indoctrination efforts did not diminish the demand for luxury goods often associated with capitalism. The discussion includes the voices of dozens of Base people and provides their perspectives on the barter economy during the Pol Pot era.
