Pol Pot

Pol Pot is the common name of Saloth Sar, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, a communist movement that ruled Cambodia from 1976-1979. His regime is remembered for its harsh treatment of intellectuals and its ill-fated land collectivization program. Upwards of 750,000 to 1.7 million people died under Pol Pot's rule, either from malnutrition, poor medical care, the effects of forced labor, or execution. He fled in 1979 to avoid invading Vietnamese forces, leading to the collapse of his regime and eventual arrest. He died in 1998 while under house arrest.

1. Envisioned a return to agrarian society
2. Banned modern technology and tools
3. Attempted to create a "Year Zero," the beginning of a new history
4. Thought that a return to the land would allow a new communist society to emerge
5. Once the people were "purified" and a new society formed, a return to technology would be possible