The Cultural Revolution Flashcards

1
Q

Mao’s Motives for the Cultural Revolution

A

> To defeat his opponents.
To regain his political supremacy after the GLF.
To ensure that his economic policies were accepted, and China did not fall onto a Communist Path.
To dethrone Communist officials more interested in profit than Communism.

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2
Q

Policies of the Moderates

A
> Introduce larger private plots of land for peasants and pay them wages.
> Build up industry on Russian models.
> To create a new class of skilled industry managers.
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3
Q

Events of the Cultural Revolution

A

> Began Summer of 1966

> Involved attacks on government officials, and existing cultural and educational policies.

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4
Q

What did the Red Guard do?

A

> Shaved off western hairstyles and ripped off western clothes
Destroyed western merchandise
Burnt down cultural sites (e.g. libraries)
Stopped couples from holding hands.

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5
Q

The Red Guard

A

> May 1966-
School children + Students
School was closed for six months to rewrite the curriculum and didn’t open again for years.

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6
Q

How did Mao gain enough power to start the Cultural Revolution?

A

> 1965, gained the support of Lin Biao, minister of defence.
Lin Biao abolished ranks in the PLA and gave every soldier a copy of Mao’s little red book.
Although he had no support from the government, he had a 4 million strong army behind him.

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7
Q

How many people were killed by the Red Guard?

A

400,000

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8
Q

Cultural Revolution impact on Education.

A

> Students refused to sit exams as it showed their inequalities.
University places went to those who supported the Cultural Revolution.
A whole generation received little to no heavily propagandised education.

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9
Q

Mao’s Successes in the Cultural Revolution

A

> Political Opponents were eradicated.
Revolutionary Committees dominated by the PLA were set up to run the country.
Moderate policies were abolished.
Mao was once again the leader.

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10
Q

Mao’s Failures in the Cultural Revolution

A

> Education Stopped
Industry Stopped
400,000 people were killed.

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11
Q

Cultural Revolution impact on Industry

A

> Factories reorganised to give power to the workers.
Bonuses abolished- all given equal pay.
Technician were dismissed, production fell.
Transport ground to a halt.

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12
Q

What was the Cult of Mao?

A

> Mao was trusted unequivocally by the Red Guard.

> He was worshipped as an emperor.

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13
Q

When did the Cult of Mao begin?

A

1966

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14
Q

Features of the Cult of Mao

A

> Little Red Book
Statues and Portraits
Workers gathered before his portrait and read quotes to i before work.

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15
Q

How many copies of the Little Red Book were printed between 1966-69?

A

740 million

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16
Q

Chiang Ching’s role in the Cultural Revolution

A

> (Madame Mao)
Changed the Chinese opera to depict Communist struggles rather than traditional stories.
Inspired the Red Guards to attack party officials.

17
Q

The end of the Red Guards

A

> Sept 1967
Mao called on them to return to their studies.
PLA was used to restore areas of violence.
Red Guards were sent to the countryside to be re-educated by the peasants.
By 1969 the Cultural Revolution was over.