Well, OP, maybe you ought to look into the life and times of Pu Yi, an imperial ruler who was allowed to live out his natural life after his oppressive dynasty was overthrown.
my suggestion was that the alternative to killing the powerful and oppressive (given pu yi was a figurehead and his willingness to go along with reeducation came from lack of material intrest as well as his own personal life) has already been figured out by the chinese communists.