Written by a Cambridge Law student with an A* at history A-level.
Outlines the various aspects of the cultural revolution, including political purges, centralisation of power, creation of a personality cult, the role of Lin Baoi, the reform of culture and society, impact on education, impact on...
Cultural Revolution 1966-76
Political
- Purges + removing political opponents Mao ideologue + feared entrenched elitist
bureaucracy who threatened revolutionary spirit, purging them out of desire for long
lasting permanent revolution
Key pragmatic officials
o Liu Shaoqi (stripped of position as President 1966 then subjected to
brutal struggle session by Red Guards 1969 and died in prison from
pneumonia)
o Deng Xiaoping (subjected to public humiliation after Mao accused him of
running independent kingdom 1966 + sent to tractor factory for
corrective treatment, but rehabilitated 1973 due to links with Enlai)
Party + gov bureaucracy
o Only 9/23 politburo members held on to posts
o 70% of provincial + regional officials purged
o 2/3 of central committee purged 1966 - 68
- Centralising power within party
After Party congress declared cultural revolution over 1969, new constitution
adopted emphasising role of Mao (ruled in clique with Lin Baoi + Zhou Enlai)
Purges resulted in many vacant positions being filled by inexperienced + easily
manipulated officials AND by PLA officials with loyalty to Mao (PLA members
filled 45% of central committee + half of politburo)
- Personality cult
Viewed Mao as defender of the revolution against counter revolutionary threats
within generally repressive party Mao called to ‘Bombard the Headquarters’
1966, with dazibao poster to provoke an attack on the halls of power,
undermining other officials eg pictures of Liu Shaoqi burnt + dismissed as ‘a heap
of dog’s dung’
Centred around Little Red Book filled with quotations from Mao divided into 33
sections over 750 million copies distributed across China
Held rallies facilitated by free rail transport from PLA (first Aug 1966 in
Tiananmen square with over 1 million red guards chanting his name in adulation
and waving their little red books)
BUT pop became more disillusioned with Mao after disruption to general life +
education + young ppl after rustication campaign
, Lin Baoi
Played important role in cultural revolution but swept along with tide of events
-
Mao feared Lin Baoi would use military + political support to oust him
- Also replaced Dehuai as defence minister 1959 + stood highest in army command
structure apart from Mao
- 1969 amendment to constitution confirmed Lin Baoi as successor to Mao + had
substantial popularity within politburo
Began attack indirectly by purging Lin’s allies
- Chen Boda arrested + forced to make self-criticism of treacherous factional
behaviour
- Beijing military region so Lin’s allies posted elsewhere
Lin + son planned to assassinate Mao + seize power in military coup, but after Lin’s
daughter informed Zhou of plot Lin fled to USSR in plane but crashed + died in desert in
Mongolia
News of Lin’s treachery cast Mao into period of depression from which never fully
recovered (only official to resist being purged + cast credibility of whole regime into
question as meant to be principal supporter) AND extensive media campaign headed by
Jiang Ching accused of being Soviet spy + public called on to ‘criticise Lin Baoi and
Confucius’
After Mao’s death Gang of Four arrested after Hua allied with PLA commanders + 1980
Deng replaced Hua
Culture + society
- Destruction of culture wanted to change Confucian societal values to ensure survival
of Communist values, esp since younger generations did not have experience of 6000
mile Long March etc
Launched Four Olds campaign (Old Customs, cultures, ideas and habits) kept
deliberately vgue to cover any feature opposed by Mao
Pressure on family system (children told to inform on parents + relatives not fully
committed to revolution, taught to love Mao + that he and party officials were
their true nurturers not their parents)
Priceless artefacts destroyed, eg 2/3 of 7000 places of historical and cultural
significance in Beijing vandalised
Widespread upheaval + theft, eg 65 tonnes gold (as well as antiques + jewellery)
estimated to have been seized
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