Mao Zedong The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution The Prelude

2 A brief overview (The next two lectures) End of GLF – loss of power to Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping Plan to make Mao figurehead Mao initiated Socialist Education Campaign This grew into Cultural Revolution (1966), aim to totally revise Chinese culture, key role of the Red Guards and youths

3 Aftermath of the Great Leap Forward ‘red’ vs. ‘expert’ controversy in leadership Peng Dehuai criticised 3 aspects: 1.Damage to long-term economic development 2.Rejection Soviet development model 3.Obvious decline moral and efficiency

4 Reversal Great Leap Forward Liu’s policy changes: Reintroduction material incentives Efficiency Technical expertise vs. ideology Relaxation central planning Strict discipline Reorganise party

5 Socialist Education Campaign 3 interrelated campaigns: 1. Educational campaign 2. Rectification campaign 3. Purification movement – PLA Mao : open investigation Liu : covert infiltration Mao : mass education movement Liu : party-controlled rectification operation

6 Toward a Cultural Revolution Only PLA campaign successful Lin Biao Minister Defence – key role "Chairman Mao is a genius, everything the Chairman says is truly great; one of the Chairman's words will override the meaning of ten thousand of ours.” “Little Red Book”

7 The Chinese People's Liberation Army is the Great School of Mao Zedong Thought

8 What was its purpose? Fundamental change in the way the Chinese people viewed the world Aim to totally replace older feudal attitudes and to replace with socialist attitudes Mao’s bid for power? Lin Biao and Jiang Qing’s ambitions? Wu Han’s play – key (Hai Rui = Peng Dehuai, Emperor = Mao)

9 Official History of GPCR The official historical view of the Communist Party of China on the Cultural Revolution and Mao's role within it is incorporated in the ‘Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China’ adopted on June 27, In this document, it is stated that "Chief responsibility for the grave `Left' error of the `cultural revolution,' an error comprehensive in magnitude and protracted in duration, does indeed lie with Comrade Mao Zedong" and that the Cultural Revolution was carried out "under the mistaken leadership of Mao Zedong who was used by the counterrevolutionaries Lin Biao and Jiang Qing and brought serious disaster and turmoil to the Party and the Chinese people.”

10 Marx and Mao Both agree that communist revolution requires cultural revolution Marx – oppression = change attitude Mao - revolution occurred in China BEFORE the majority had changed their attitudes

11 Why a need for Cultural Revolution? Failure of Great Leap – masses capitalist 1962 Mao tries to implement the Socialist Education Movement – re-educate masses Liu and Deng against, ‘unrealistic’ while countryside still struggling 1963, Mao appeals directly to people Party cadres openly criticise themselves, but masses able to criticise them too

12 Result of the SEM 3 advantages for Mao: 1.Still had power to initiate new political campaigns 2.Influenced those outside the army 3.Made clear Mao’s suspicions of the other members of the party leadership

13 Key aspects of the Cultural Revolution Personality Cult (strongest 1968) Amongst the young in particular Cult built around Mao Deep sense of gratitude to Mao

14 8 August point decision Red Guards destroy the “four olds”: Thought Culture Customs Habits

15 Controlling the media Power of art and literature Art and literature political Only character development was when all traditional bases for friendship were abandoned and replaced by shared class consciousness

16 Emulation Campaigns 1962 Lei Feng appeared, orphaned by brutal landlords and Japanese aggression and saved by communist forces, had developed a profound love for his fellow proletarians Socialist heroes for the people to emulate

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21 Ideological Trainings Mass meetings held In schools and colleges students discussed the wisdom of Mao’s words and why he was always correct Mao’s role in the revolution became the subject of plays, films and novels Newspapers dedicated front pages to his sayings

22 The Education System Indoctrination in the classroom began with primary education History taught to highlight the wrongs of the feudal past and western imperialism Students taught to have unbounded love for comrades and hatred for class enemies

23 The Education System All children taught to aspire to being young pioneers, the first rung towards party membership Enrollment as a young pioneer was a major event for a student and family All students were encouraged to admit their failings in public in an attempt to become better socialists

24 Completely Smash the Liu-Deng Counter- Revolutionary Line, 1967

25 “Smash the old world/Establish a new world.”

26 “Let the new socialist performing arts occupy every stage”

27 “Proletarian revolutionary rebels unite!”

28 “Field for criticism”

29 Dazhai, Maoist China’s most famous agricultural collective

30 Handpainted poster, common during the GPCR

31 Youths in countryside

32 “Still Awake in the Middle of the Night”