3 – The Cultural Revolution and its Aftermath 1966-76
3.1 Mao’s Reasons for launching the cultural revolution
Reasons for launch:
1. protect legacy
a. personal paranoia that his own policies were being watered down
b. Work he put into revolution becoming irrelevant
c. Steering away from Mao Zedong thought
2. Personal dislike of rivals
a. criticisms from Lui at 7000 cadres conference about Mao’s policies
b. Mao in weak political position after retiring to ‘second line’ – Forbidden city remote
3. restore principles of communist revolution
a. felt pragmatism was now order, not revolutionary fervour
b. feared party was too bureaucratic ‘capitalist roaders’ – cades exploited power
c. wanted permanent revolution – constant class struggle
d. felt actions of Liu/Deng were capitalist as they were moving away from collectivisation
conflicts within the party:
Early 10 points vs Later 10 points – Mao proposed Early 10 points Feb 1963 which proposed to mobilise
masses to criticise corrupt cadres. Deng replaces w Later 10 points = disruption to minimum/not attack
middle class peasants
Ideologues vs pragmatists
Marxist Leninism vs Mao Zedong Thought
Corrupt cadres vs those who wanted constant reform
Ideologues vs pragmatists:
LEFT CENTRE RIGHT
Ideologues Pragmatists Capitalists
Gang of 4 = members of politburo feared for Group of 5 = set of Deng/Liu = Head of state/general
ruthlessness risen to prominence through shanghai moderates aiming to act as secretary who replaces Mao when he
CCP peacemakers to prevent retired
Shanghai forum = set of Maoists dominated by gang further divisions in party.
of 4 who identified counter revs Led by Peng Zhen – mayor
Lin Biao = Mao’s 2nd in command till 1971. of Beijing
Needs of revolution take precedence circumstance best solution to issue – policy
pragmatism unacceptable determines policy should aim to avoid disasters of
rapid progress to socialism GLF
constant class struggle gradual change
less coercion
relax control
- Wu Han Affair gave Lin pretext for moving - Condemned by Jiang - Mao jealous of impressive policies
against Maoist elements in party for moderation at a - Believed to have abandoned
- Eradicated artistic corruption/rooted out time when ‘proletariat values’
‘poisonous weeds’ ruthlessness necessary - Mao publicly admonished – pretext
- Ran cultural revolution through CCRG - April 1966 denounced for left to be more aggressive
- Lin asked Jiang Qing to take charge of PLA for ‘taking capitalist
cultural policy – impressed by severity of road’
approach
3.1 Mao’s Reasons for launching the cultural revolution
Reasons for launch:
1. protect legacy
a. personal paranoia that his own policies were being watered down
b. Work he put into revolution becoming irrelevant
c. Steering away from Mao Zedong thought
2. Personal dislike of rivals
a. criticisms from Lui at 7000 cadres conference about Mao’s policies
b. Mao in weak political position after retiring to ‘second line’ – Forbidden city remote
3. restore principles of communist revolution
a. felt pragmatism was now order, not revolutionary fervour
b. feared party was too bureaucratic ‘capitalist roaders’ – cades exploited power
c. wanted permanent revolution – constant class struggle
d. felt actions of Liu/Deng were capitalist as they were moving away from collectivisation
conflicts within the party:
Early 10 points vs Later 10 points – Mao proposed Early 10 points Feb 1963 which proposed to mobilise
masses to criticise corrupt cadres. Deng replaces w Later 10 points = disruption to minimum/not attack
middle class peasants
Ideologues vs pragmatists
Marxist Leninism vs Mao Zedong Thought
Corrupt cadres vs those who wanted constant reform
Ideologues vs pragmatists:
LEFT CENTRE RIGHT
Ideologues Pragmatists Capitalists
Gang of 4 = members of politburo feared for Group of 5 = set of Deng/Liu = Head of state/general
ruthlessness risen to prominence through shanghai moderates aiming to act as secretary who replaces Mao when he
CCP peacemakers to prevent retired
Shanghai forum = set of Maoists dominated by gang further divisions in party.
of 4 who identified counter revs Led by Peng Zhen – mayor
Lin Biao = Mao’s 2nd in command till 1971. of Beijing
Needs of revolution take precedence circumstance best solution to issue – policy
pragmatism unacceptable determines policy should aim to avoid disasters of
rapid progress to socialism GLF
constant class struggle gradual change
less coercion
relax control
- Wu Han Affair gave Lin pretext for moving - Condemned by Jiang - Mao jealous of impressive policies
against Maoist elements in party for moderation at a - Believed to have abandoned
- Eradicated artistic corruption/rooted out time when ‘proletariat values’
‘poisonous weeds’ ruthlessness necessary - Mao publicly admonished – pretext
- Ran cultural revolution through CCRG - April 1966 denounced for left to be more aggressive
- Lin asked Jiang Qing to take charge of PLA for ‘taking capitalist
cultural policy – impressed by severity of road’
approach
