Cultural Revolution: A Decade Long Brainwashing to Honor Communism

Summary

The Cultural Revolution, initiated by Mao Zedong in 1966, drastically reshaped China, leading to widespread violence and economic turmoil. The Chinese Communist Party (CPC) emerged in 1921, inspired by Marxism and Leninism, and opposed capitalist ideals. Mao's policies, including the Great Leap Forward, failed disastrously, resulting in millions of deaths. The Cultural Revolution saw the rise of the Red Guards and severe purges, leading to mass killings and societal chaos. Mao's death in 1976 ended the Revolution, leaving China with a fractured government and economy. The era is remembered for its brutality and the significant impact on China's trajectory.

Takeaways

• 📉 The Cultural Revolution, which lasted from 1966 to 1976, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 500,000 to 8 million people.
• 🔄 In 1921, Chinese radicals formed the Communist Party based on Marxism and Leninism, rejecting capitalism and liberalism.
• 🗣️ The CPC promoted less formal and more colloquial speech to make ideas more accessible to the general population.
• 🏛️ Mao Zedong became the chairman of the Communist Central Committee in 1945, solidifying his control over the CPC.
• ⚙️ The Great Leap Forward from 1958 to 1961 aimed to transform China into a communist society but ended in failure, causing millions of deaths.
• 🛑 The Red Guards, formed during the Cultural Revolution, perpetrated widespread violence, targeting perceived enemies of communism.
• 🚫 The Red Guards' actions, known as the 'Red Terror,' led to mass killings and forced evictions, with thousands dying in Beijing and Shanghai alone.
• 📉 China's economy suffered during the Cultural Revolution, with industrial and agricultural output declining significantly.
• 🤝 Mao sought an unlikely alliance with the US in the 1970s to counter the Soviet threat, despite years of anti-capitalist rhetoric.
• 🛤️ The Cultural Revolution ended with Mao's death in 1976, leaving China with a weakened economy and a fractured government, leading to a shift towards embracing capitalism.

Q & A

What is the estimated number of deaths during the Cultural Revolution?

A 2011 report estimates that 500,000 to 8 million people died during the Cultural Revolution.

When was the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) founded?

The CPC was founded in 1921 by Chinese radicals who were inspired by Marxism and Leninism.

Who was the first chairman of the Communist Central Committee?

Mao Zedong was the first chairman of the Communist Central Committee, a position created around 1945.

What significant event happened in China on October 1, 1949?

On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong declared the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

What was the Great Leap Forward, and what was its outcome?

The Great Leap Forward was an economic and social campaign from 1958 to 1961 aiming to transform China into a communist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. It ended in failure, causing the deaths of 15 to 55 million people.

What was the 'May 16 notification,' and who issued it?

The 'May 16 notification' was issued by Mao Zedong and the Gang of Four in May 1966, identifying enemies within China's leadership and calling for a rebellion against them.

Who were the Red Guards, and what role did they play during the Cultural Revolution?

The Red Guards were radical youth groups organized by Mao to challenge established politicians and carry out his revolutionary agenda, leading to widespread violence and persecution.

What was the outcome of the Wuhan Incident in July 1967?

The Wuhan Incident, also known as the July 20 Incident, was a violent clash between the Red Guards and local military and leaders, resolved through the intervention of Zhou Enlai.

How did the Cultural Revolution impact China's economy?

The Cultural Revolution caused significant economic disruption, with the industrial and agricultural index dropping nearly 10% between 1966 and 1967, and an additional 4.2% the following year.

What led to the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976?

The Cultural Revolution ended following Mao Zedong's death on September 9, 1976, amidst internal power struggles and widespread public discontent.

How did Mao Zedong's policies compare to those of Stalin?

While Mao criticized Stalin's policies and abuses of power, his Cultural Revolution bore similarities to Stalinist purges, involving widespread violence and persecution.

What was the Down to the Countryside Movement, and what was its purpose?

The Down to the Countryside Movement was a policy to reeducate students and workers by sending them to rural areas, effectively reducing the chaos caused by the Red Guards.

How did Mao's relationship with the United States change during the Cultural Revolution?

Despite previously demonizing capitalism and the US, Mao formed a tentative alliance with the US in the late 1960s to counter the Soviet threat.

What was the impact of the Zhenbao/Damansky Island incident in 1969?

The Zhenbao/Damansky Island incident escalated tensions between China and the Soviet Union, contributing to Mao's decision to seek an alliance with the US.

How did Mao's successors address the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution?

Mao's successors began to embrace capitalism over communism to rebuild China's economy and address the damage caused by the Cultural Revolution.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Origins and Rise of the Chinese Communist Party

This paragraph outlines the formation and rise of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) from its Marxist and Leninist roots in 1921 to its establishment as the ruling party of China in 1949. It details key historical events, including the role of Mao Zedong as chairman, the defeat of the Kuomintang, and the declaration of the People's Republic of China. The narrative touches on Mao's early policies, such as the Five-Year Plan and the Great Leap Forward, which laid the groundwork for the Cultural Revolution.

05:02

🔥 The Red Guards and the Red Terror

This paragraph delves into the violent actions of the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution, starting from 1966. It explains how Mao Zedong mobilized the youth to challenge established leaders, resulting in widespread persecution of perceived enemies. The Red Guards, supported by the police and military, unleashed a wave of violence, leading to the deaths and suicides of thousands. The paragraph also highlights the economic and cultural destruction caused by the Red Terror, as well as internal conflicts within the CPC.

10:03

📜 The End of the Cultural Revolution and Its Aftermath

This paragraph describes the conclusion of the Cultural Revolution following Mao Zedong's death in 1976. It discusses the immediate aftermath, including the weakened economy, fractured CPC, and public discontent. The narrative reflects on the long-term impacts of the decade-long upheaval, such as the shift towards capitalism and the eventual apologies from former Red Guard members. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for readers to learn more about this historical period through a book and to subscribe for more educational content.

Keywords

💡Cultural Revolution

A sociopolitical movement in China from 1966 to 1976 initiated by Mao Zedong. Its aim was to preserve Chinese Communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society. It resulted in widespread chaos, persecution, and a significant death toll, affecting millions of lives.

💡Chinese Communist Party (CPC)

The founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China. Established in 1921, it aimed to implement Marxist-Leninist principles and led major movements such as the Cultural Revolution. Mao Zedong was a prominent leader of the CPC.

💡Great Leap Forward

An economic and social campaign led by the CPC from 1958 to 1961. It aimed to rapidly transform China from an agrarian society into a socialist society through industrialization and collectivization. The campaign ended in failure, leading to a massive famine and the death of millions.

💡Mao Zedong

The leader of the CPC and the founding father of the People's Republic of China. Mao led several significant campaigns, including the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward. His policies and leadership style resulted in dramatic changes in Chinese society and significant loss of life.

💡Red Guards

Radical youth groups mobilized by Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution. They were tasked with enforcing communist ideology, often through violent means, targeting intellectuals and perceived enemies of the state, leading to widespread persecution and chaos.

💡Five-Year Plan

A series of social and economic development initiatives implemented by the Chinese government. The first plan, started in 1953, aimed at industrial growth and collectivization but faced significant challenges. These plans were crucial to China's economic strategy during the mid-20th century.

💡People's Republic of China

The nation-state proclaimed by Mao Zedong on October 1, 1949, after the CPC's victory over the Kuomintang. It marked the beginning of communist rule in China and significant political and social transformations under the CPC leadership.

💡Down to the Countryside Movement

A policy initiated by the CPC during the Cultural Revolution, sending urban youths to rural areas to learn from the peasants. It aimed to reeducate students and reduce the influence of dissenters but often resulted in hardship and displacement for those involved.

💡Red Terror

A period during the Cultural Revolution characterized by widespread violence and persecution carried out by the Red Guards. It was reminiscent of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, involving the targeting and punishment of perceived enemies of the revolution.

💡Zhenbao Island Incident

A border conflict between China and the Soviet Union in March 1969. It highlighted the tense Sino-Soviet relations during the Cold War, with both nations having nuclear capabilities. This incident exacerbated the ideological and geopolitical rift between the two communist powers.

Highlights

A 2011 report estimates that 500,000 to 8 million people died during the Cultural Revolution.

In 1921, Chinese radicals began to form a vision for the country based on Marxism and Leninism.

The Chinese Communist Party (CPC) was founded as part of resisting capitalist and liberal ideals.

Mao Zedong was named chairman of the Communist Central Committee around 1945.

The CPC defeated the Kuomintang in 1949, leading to the declaration of the People's Republic of China.

Mao's Five-Year Plan and the Great Leap Forward were pivotal in setting the stage for the Cultural Revolution.

The Great Leap Forward, aiming to transform China into a communist society, ended in colossal failure and claimed the lives of 15 to 55 million people.

The Cultural Revolution began in 1966, with Mao calling on the youth to challenge the established politicians.

Mao's followers, the Red Guards, initiated the 'Red Terror,' reminiscent of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror.

The Red Guards were allowed to enter homes, initiate beatings, and deport anyone considered an enemy.

By the end of 1966, more than 100,000 people had been killed during the Cultural Revolution.

The Wuhan Incident in July 1967 highlighted the divisiveness of the Red Guard.

The Down to the Countryside Movement was initiated to reeducate students and workers who stopped listening to the government.

Mao's health declined in the early 1970s, leading to internal power struggles within the CPC.

Mao Zedong died on September 9, 1976, marking the end of the Cultural Revolution.

The decade-long Cultural Revolution sent China into violent clashes and economic turmoil.

In 2014, some members of the Red Guard issued apologies for their actions during the Cultural Revolution.

Transcripts

A 2011 report estimates that 500,000 to 8 million  people died during the Cultural Revolution! 

In 1921, Chinese radicals began to form a vision  for the country based on the tenants of Marxism  

and Leninism. They resisted and, to some extent,  even hated the ideals of capitalism and liberalism  

of the Allies. Their solution ended up being the  founding of the Chinese Communist Party or the  

CPC. Part of the change they enacted was a shift  in language, using less formal and more colloquial  

speech to make the ideas more accessible to the  people. With this new cultural and ideological  

shift, the youth of China began to take a more  prominent role in shaping the nation's future. 

Around 1945, a new position was created within  the CPC – the chairman of the Communist Central  

Committee. Mao was given the new title, as he  had already been the chairman of the Politburo,  

the executive committee that determined the  direction the government and country would take.  

After the Second World War, the CPC  defeated the Kuomintang in 1949. Mao  

declared the new government the People's  Republic of China on October 1, 1949. 

Mao's implementation of the Five-Year Plan and  the Great Leap Forward would set the stage for  

the Cultural Revolution. However, looking  at the global and local events that shaped  

Chinese political thought in the post-WWII era  is essential. The Soviet Union underwent a couple  

of years of uncertainty following Stalin's  death on March 5, 1953. Nikita Khrushchev  

managed to survive under Stalin and thrived  in the top spot after his death. Khrushchev  

was highly critical of Stalin's policies and  abuse of power, a sentiment shared by Mao. 

Mao promised to "let a hundred flowers bloom,  let a hundred schools of thought contend."  

However, when the intellectuals began  to question him, the reaction was quick,  

although he certainly should have expected it,  considering how much he had criticized Stalin.  

It is unknown whether he felt they had betrayed  his intentions of trying to give them a voice  

or if he had always planned to use the speech  to weed out as many dissenters as possible.  

By 1957, Mao had largely removed anyone who  opposed his vision of a communist China. 

The economy had been struggling for two war-torn  decades, so Mao began the Five-Year Plan in 1953.  

The plan was supposed to end in 1957, but  Chinese officials realized that it would not  

work. To succeed in their vision for China, the  government realized they needed to have a much  

larger scale of national industrialization.  Over three years, from 1958 to 1961,  

Mao and the Chinese government forced millions  of people who had lived on farms into communes in  

what is known as the Great Leap Forward. The leap  was an economic and social movement to transform  

China into a communist society by moving away  from an agrarian economy. Due to mismanagement,  

the Great Leap Forward ended in colossal failure,  claiming the lives of 15 to 55 million people. 

Because he had been the primary driver behind the  Great Leap Forward, Mao was essentially removed  

from his position. However, he still kept his  title as chairman of the CPC. He would not gain  

the same level of control over China until 1966,  with the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.  

To China, the Soviet changes following  Stalin's death were blatantly revisionist.  

In the aftermath of the Second World War, China  put up a firm resistance to Western ideas,  

especially in the wake of colonial ventures.  

Any revision in foreign and domestic policy  was considered a weakness. In addition to  

his mistrust of capitalism and those who practiced  it, Mao was an atheist since all significant world  

religions had developed hierarchies comparable  to the social structures in capitalist nations. 

In May 1966, Mao and the Gang of Four, radicals  from the CPC, issued the "May 16 notification"  

to lay out the problems they saw with China's  current trajectory. They said that enemies of  

China had infiltrated the leadership and wanted  to "create a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie."  

Through this rhetoric, Mao instigated a  rebellion against the current leaders.  

Mao called on the youth to challenge the  established Chinese politicians. He claimed that  

the leaders lacked the zeal and strength to enact  fundamental changes that would benefit the people. 

During the summer of 1966, youths began seeking  out oppressors – those who showed either sympathy  

for capitalism or those who exploited the lower  classes. Mao and his followers targeted students  

as a part of their revolution for two primary  reasons. First, they were impressionable. Second,  

it was thought that those who were against Mao and  his vision would attempt to influence the youth if  

he did not. Mao's fanatics organized themselves  as the Red Guards. Their actions became known as  

the "Red Terror," reminiscent of the title given  to the events during the French Revolution about  

170 years earlier, the Reign of Terror. Like the French terror, the Chinese terror  

was not restricted to the education system.  Mao's Minister of Public Security, Xie Fuzhi,  

would spread the violent ideology to the police  and security forces. They were instructed during  

an internal meeting that they were to provide  assistance and support to the Red Guards.  

The Red Guards were also allowed to enter homes,  initiate beatings, and deport anyone "found" to  

be an enemy. The officials had told the police not  to act against the student movements, which meant  

that anyone the students identified as enemies  were at the complete mercy of those students.  

Police and security forces were not allowed to  assist the victims of persecution or beatings. 

Between August 1966 and the year's end, the  Red Terror allowed mobs of Red Guards to roam  

the streets unchecked. Families were evicted  from their homes, their possessions were taken,  

and they were forced to leave the city. The  confiscation of anything considered bourgeois  

saw millions of dollars worth of art, currency,  and culture stolen from Chinese citizens.  

The Red Terror had begun in Beijing, but Red  Guards were shipped to other major Chinese  

cities. From the beginning of August 1966  until the end of September, an estimated  

1,772 people were killed in Beijing alone. The  Red Guards killed another 534 people in Shanghai  

and forced more than 700 to commit suicide. Mao condoned violence across the spectrum as  

his People's Liberation Army called  for military support to help remove  

enemies and their sympathizers. Involving the  military ensured the death of more people.  

Armed conflicts arose across China, and  the military had a more than ample supply  

of weapons they were willing to use against the  people. By the end of the year, more than 100,000  

people had been killed. Mao may have despised  Stalin's policies, but his Cultural Revolution  

looked similar to Stalinist purges, if not worse. In July 1967, the potential problems posed by the  

Red Guards came to the forefront in the Wuhan  province. An open fight between the leaders  

and military of the city and the members of  the Red Guard broke out. Only through the  

intervention of Zhou Enlai, who served directly  under Mao, was the fighting finally resolved.  

Zhou was more moderate and loathed the abuses that  occurred during the Red Terror. Known as the July  

20 Incident in China and the Wuhan Incident  in the West, the events of July 20, 1967,  

showed just how divisive the Red Guard had become. By the end of 1968, it was clear that there were  

too few controls against the violence of the  Red Guards. Fearing the economic downturn would  

worsen, the government initiated a new policy  called the Down to the Countryside Movement.  

It was a disguise to reeducate the students  and workers who had stopped listening to them.  

Ultimately, they were successful as the  violence and chaos of the Red Guard died. 

The Chinese economy suffered throughout the  Cultural Revolution. According to reports,  

the industrial and agricultural index dropped  nearly ten percent between 1966 and 1967,  

the first year of the revolution. It went  down another 4.2% over the next year.  

These losses did not include the destruction  wrought by the Red Guards, only the financial  

losses stemming from the government's destructive  policies and lack of control over the economy. 

Between 1965 and 1969, the Soviet forces along the  Chinese border swelled from 13 to 21 divisions,  

posing a new military risk to the Chinese.  In March 1969, the border clashes moved to  

a small island known as Zhenbao Island in China  and Damansky Island in the Soviet Union. After  

demonizing capitalism and the US for decades,  Mao turned to them to form a tentative alliance.  

The US jumped at the opportunity to drive a  wedge between the Soviets and the Chinese.  

Another reason for this unlikely alliance was the  fear of nuclear warfare. The Cuban Missile Crisis  

of 1962 was a tense moment in world history,  but it never resulted in any actual fighting.  

The Zhenbao/Damansky Island incident was  far more precarious since blood was shed,  

and both sides had nuclear capabilities.  The ideological sacrifice proved costly  

in the 1970s as civil tensions broke out again. In the early 1970s, Mao's health was declining,  

and he was losing control of the party. As a  result of the infighting, Mao turned to someone he  

had already persecuted and removed from power once  – Deng Xiaoping. Since Mao's illness had worsened,  

Zhou Enlai, the premier who had served under Mao,  had started to enjoy a renewed public interest.  

Between 1975 and 1976, the internal power  struggles divided the CPC, and Mao let the sides  

continue their feuds. He probably knew that if  they went after each other, they would not be able  

to attack him. In the wake of Zhou Enlai's death  in 1976, large crowds emerged in Tiananmen Square.  

The Gang of Four tried to suppress them and, in  doing so, added fuel to the fire. Mass protests  

broke out across China, and Deng's public image  was tarnished, forcing his exit from the party. 

On September 9, 1976, Mao Zedong died following a  heart attack, and the Cultural Revolution reached  

its untimely conclusion. The ill will against Mao  that had started following the Tiananmen Square  

incident was quashed following his death,  and the people began to view him as a hero.  

The statistic of deaths due to the decade-long  Cultural Revolution is unknown. With a weakened  

economy, a fractured CPC and government,  and a people tired of years of violence,  

Mao's successors had a tall task ahead of them. The economy had been in trouble when the Cultural  

Revolution began. Following a decade of terror  and financial neglect caused by the megalomania  

of a few officials at the top, China had a long  road to recovery. Millions of people had been  

displaced, making recovery particularly  difficult. Once the threat had ended,  

the Chinese leaders who had initially followed Mao  Zedong began to embrace capitalism over communism. 

The Cultural Revolution lasted for an entire  decade, sending the nation into a series of  

violent clashes and economic turmoil. Mao  is now seen as the primary driver of the  

disaster that resulted in many people's deaths  and agricultural ruin. In 2014, some members of  

the Red Guard issued apologies for what had  transpired during the Cultural Revolution.  

They admitted to the persecution, torture, and  killing of millions in the name of communism. 

How would you like to get a deeper  understanding of history, impress  

your friends, and predict the future  more accurately based on past events? 

If this sounds like something you  might be into, then check out the  

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To learn more about the Cultural Revolution,  check out our book, The Cultural Revolution:  

A Captivating Guide to a Decade-Long Upheaval  in China Unleashed by Mao Zedong to Preserve  

Chinese Communism. It's available as  an e-book, paperback, and audiobook.  

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