3.1: Mao's Reasons for Launching the CR Flashcards
(23 cards)
Cultural revolution 1966
internal revolution of politics, society and culture to restore Mao and his ideology
so that ‘ideologues would win’
Jianq Qing
Mao’s fourth wife, Head of Culture
Actress in Shanghai
Perpetrator:
Controlled arts and media, incited chaos, immense power,
trial of ‘81, sentenced to life imprisonment
Lin Biao
Defence Minister, ideologue who replaced Peng Dehuai
Perpetrator:
supported Shanghai radicals, wrote Diary of Lei Feng, organised mass rallies and created propaganda
died 1971 aircraft accident
Mao’s Fears
divisions in CCP => too much revisionism, worried about de-stalinisation in USSR
Liu had stopped SEM 1963
bureaucracy was becoming self serving
did not want to admit failures/lose power
Aims of Cultural Rev
remove pragmatists
Socialist Education Movement 1963: restored mass mobilisation
engage younger generation: maintain legacy
restore purity, cleansing party
peasants centre instead of intellectuals
The Dismissal of Hai Rui
event that launched CR, 1964
written by Wu Han, represents Peng Dehuai’s dismissal & Mao as tyrant emperor
negative review of play by Yao Wenyuan
Wu Han & Peng Chen dismissed => key allies of Liu Shaoqui removed
Yangtze River swim
1966
Mao wants to prove his health not deteriorating => reassert his power
swam across China’s largest river at 72 years old
exaggerated by media
Deng Xiaoping
Vice Premier, General Secretary CCP
Focused on econ reforms
Victim: Reformist stance, labelled ‘capitalist roader’, his son was paralysed
work in factory, rehabilitated 1973, led China 1978-92 -> market-driven economy
Liu Shaoqui
PRC President 1959, CCP Vice Chairman
First Pragmatist, Daily management
Victim: Arrested 1967, brutal struggle sessions, imprisoned & denied doctor’s help, died 1969
Children purged
image restored 1980s during Deng’s gov
Zhou Enlai
Head of State Council, CCP Vice Chairman, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ideologue
Moderator:
Wanted to focus on econ recovery saved thousands of people but removed Liu Shaoqui
died feb 1976, thousands attended funeral
Kang Sheng
controlled secret police, senior CCP official, ideologue + close to Mao
perpetrator: atmosphere of fear, supported Red Guards, targeted officials, intellectuals…
died 1975, condemned post-Mao
Wang Hongwen
Leader of Shanghai Red Guards 1960s
Radical activist, joined PLA
CCP vice chairman 1973
Perpetrators: encouraged radicals
Trial ‘81: life imprisonment, died 1992
Song Bibin
Student leader of Red Guards
Daughter of senior CCP member
Perpetrator:
Contributed to destruction of ‘four olds’ participated in murdering her school principal
USA post-Mao, public apology 2014, died 2024
Hua Guafeng
Fought in Civil War
1971-Politburo member
1975-vice premier under Zhou Enlai
1976-premier and CCP chairman
Ideologue
Moderator: no active participation
Mao’s successor 1976-80 (retired, no strong political backing)
Chen Boda
Chief of Propaganda
Mao’s personal secretary
Politburo, ideologue
perpetrator: promoted cult
victim: purged 1970
trial ‘81: sentenced to 18 years, died 1989
Yao Wenyuan
propaganda specialist, worked with Jiang Qing
perpetrator: criticised Dismissal of Hai Rui, justified pruging of intellectuals
Trial ‘81: sentenced to 20 years, released 1996, died 2005
Zhang Chunqiao
CCP member, journalist
1969-Politburo
1975- second ranked vice president
Perpetrator:
Driving force behind Mao’s policies, purged Party bourgeois, persuasive writer, shaped public opinion
prison ‘76-‘98, died 2005
Gang of Four
Political faction that dominated CCRG. Radicals arrested and judged post-Mao
Trial of 1981
INDOCTRINATION: Little red Book
Collection of Mao’s quotes written by Lin Biao and Chen Boda
by 1966, it was common to quote it throughout the day -> constant reinforcement of ideology
Mao’s word used to settle arguments: elevates Mao to a Godly position (Chinese bible)
750 million copies were distributed by the PLA: form of indoctrination by 1964
INDOCTRINATION: Diary of Lei Feng 1963
journal of PLA driver who dedicated his life to devotion for Mao
made by gov’s propaganda department, put into school curriculum
reduced critical thought, encouraged blind adoration
INDOCTRINATION: Personality Cult
established by 1966
sense of personal relationship to Mao
separated Mao from party, he was image of communism
stability in society
party infiltrated by capitalist ideas: threat to Mao, pop should defend him
posters, music, statues…
INDOCTRINATION: Labelling
better job opportunities to Red Guards
(so middle-class people with ‘wrong’ label joined)
opportunity for revenge (black on red)
social system privileged peasants, soldiers, factory workers…
INDOCTRINATION: Mass Rallies
speeches inciting violence & chaos
could see Gang of 4 & Mao in military uniform
convey militarisation of society, war against pragmatism
Big Character Poster campaign
sense of unity
made PLA & Red Guards & young people feel important
Tiananmen Square rallies +1M people
