1. The Cultural Revolution

2. The Cultural Revolution as a Political Campaign
Immediate causes
Fall of Peng Dehuai
Rise of Lin Biao
Cult of Mao
Self-sacrifice
Need to be on guard against enemies
Declaration of “The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution”, 1966
A campaign for the proletariat to take control of literature and art

3. Our army is for the people, the people warmly love our army

4. Lei Feng

5. Hai Rui (1963 performance)

6. Form student groups: Red Guards
Other objectives
Attack on people taking the “capitalist road”
Attack on traditional culture
Cult of Mao
Form student groups: Red Guards

7. The Red Guards 1966-1967 Attacks on Factional fighting
Those in power (teachers, officials)
What is old fashioned or “feudal”
Factional fighting
Rebel red guards vs. conservative red guards
i.e. those close to the state vs. those who feel excluded
→ purge of the Communist Party

8. The aftermath Army restored order Impose committees to govern
The army, the masses, officials
Young people volunteer to go to countryside

10. Longer Term Causes Political Socio-economic Cultural
Factional struggles in the top elite spread through society
Socio-economic
People join certain Red Guard groups because of their position in society
Cultural
Violent language and categorisation
Impact of the Great Leap Famine

11. The Aftermath Many people feel betrayed
Loyal officials, intellectuals – the old guard
Younger generation – after fall of Lin Biao
Political struggle between Left and Right wings in the 1970s
Left:
Rural equality and self reliance
Opportunities given to those from poor backgrounds
Right:
Increasing links with the outside world
A bit more private enterprise might be allowed

12. Dazhai

13. To learn from Dazhai you must truly revolutionize the thought of leadership groups

15. 1976 Death of Zhou Enlai Tangshan earthquake Death of Mao Zedong
Great popular mourning
Tangshan earthquake
Death of Mao Zedong
Succeeded by Hua Guofeng
Show trials of the Gang of Four

16. Judgements and Verdicts
Was it a good or a bad thing?
Ten year disaster
Scar literature
Nostalgia for ideals
Who was responsible?
Gang of Four?
Mao Zedong?
We were kids and we were manipulated?