The Cultural Revolution, 1966-1976
Notes:
- All Mao’s idea
- Wanted to have a ‘pure’ form of Communism
- Red Guards began openly criticizing the gov’t officials
- Some people were upset about the following and were seen as targets:
- Those who wanted to return to capitalism
- ‘Specialists’ - anyone who did not do manual labour were forced to work
- Anyone who disobeyed “Little Red Book”
- The Red Guard got so violent that the PLA had to restore order the Revolution ended by 1969
SUMMARY :
Wanted young people to openly criticize government and told that they had to carry with them a little red book which had sayings from chairman Mao. Brainwashing youth using propaganda.
Quotes:
“Large portraits of Mao on wooden boards several feet high stood at main street corners. Painted to make the old man look extremely youthful, healthy, and fat (a sign of well-being in China), these pictures provided a mocking contrast to the thin, pale-faced pedestrians walking listlessly below them. Pg. 193”
― Nien Cheng, Life and Death in Shanghai
― Nien Cheng, Life and Death in Shanghai
Subjunctive questions:
Did anyone in Chinese culture recognize the uses of propaganda and take a stand against Mao, did groups with this ideal exist?