Abstract This paper explores what Mao's initial intention was when he first launched the CulturalRevolution and why he failed to achieve his initial goals. Contesting the commonly accepted assumption that sees a purge of oppositional forces as Mao's primary intention, it argues that Mao's fundamental motive for the revolution was his strong desire to remodel China according to his communist ideals.
From the Paper "Wang argues that Mao's strong desire to consolidate his Marxist ideals, which can be seen as the major cause of the Cultural Revolution, was driven by the fundamental contradiction within the Chinese society that time. When the Communists came to power in 1949, the new regime shared with its Republican and late-Qing predecessors the determination to strengthen the nation. China was facing two broad goals to achieve at once. One was to acquire economic and technical power so that it could develop into an advanced, powerful, industrial society. The other was to create a society based on values that conformed to Marxist concepts of social justice. China's long history of chronic poverty and inquality strongly drove its national leaders to promote both full-speed modernization and egalitarian social transformation. "
Abstract This paper examines the events, context and consequences of Mao Zedung's CulturalRevolution. The first part of this paper examines the events that paved the way for the Great Proletarian CulturalRevolution. The next part then examines how the CulturalRevolution started and its degeneration into violence and destruction. It also studies how the excesses of the CulturalRevolution began and Mao's culpability for these abuses. In the conclusion, the paper examines the long-term consequences of the CulturalRevolution on Chinese society.
Table of Contents:
Gearing for Revolution Chaos and Violence
Enduring Effects of the CulturalRevolution Conclusion
From the Paper "Throughout these excesses, Mao's hand remained evident. In 1966, he reveled in his god-like status as he received millions of Red Guards at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. During this speech, Mao exhorted his followers to "smash the four olds," referring to old ideas, old culture, old habits and old customs (Jiang and Ashley 2000). When the Red Guard began to destroy ancient artifacts and books, Mao did nothing to stop them. On the contrary, he used his influence to ensure that political rivals were exiled or otherwise removed from power."
"Furthermore, by forcing intellectuals to labor camps, Mao was quelling resistance from the more critical segments of the population. This helped ensure that he had a pliable foundation for his revolutionary goals. In essence, Mao was establishing a new intelligentsia, one composed of peasants and workers who were fiercely loyal to him and his ideals."
Abstract The paper discusses how culturalrevolution of the 1960s was a time when young people were angry at the world. The paper explains that they were angry due to losing a president, angry about Vietnam and determined to be different than the past generation of Americans. The paper describes how the culturalrevolution of the 1960s brought about technology changes in communication and the media, saw young people take drugs and become hippies and they loved rock and roll. The paper discusses how many became activists for civil rights, women's rights, Vietnam, the war on poverty and domestic issues.
Abstract The writer notes that the faith of the Chinese in the teachings of Chairman Mao was so strong that it permeated every aspect of urban life, both private and public. Schools rang with the teachings of communist ideals and adults both feared and praised the rules imposed on them by their government. This paper examines the effects of the communist ideal on the people of China. The writer of this article states that the movement of China toward communism was a turbulent one, resulting in social disorder. By providing the reader with an often painful inside-view of the turmoil of the classes during the Great CulturalRevolution of China in his book, "Son of the Revolution", Liang Heng reveals the strength of the Chinese people at a time when China's social structure was at its weakest. This article discusses the permeation and effects of Communist ideals in Chinese society.
From the Paper "Additionally, although the peasants did hold some amount of reverence for Mao's ideas, they did not truly understand the purpose of the Revolution; they saw only themselves having to struggle harder to support a movement that made no sense. As a movement to "Attack the Evil Winds of Capitalism" struck the countryside, for example, rural peasants were left wondering about Mao's intent for them. Liang Heng recounts a tale of a peasant who was told to destroy his ducks - a valuable commodity to a peasant and a symbol of capitalism to the Party."
Abstract This paper takes a look at Rae Yang's "The Spider Eaters - a Memoir", a book addressing the CulturalRevolution from the perspective of a person who was caught up in a frightening time in the early People's Republic of China (PRC).The paper considers the book a disturbing reflection on the youth of the Red Guard and the vicious sort of fascism created by Chairman Mao. It concludes that the book is well written and informative.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Maoism and Youth
Divisions
Conclusion
From the Paper "Yang writes in a way that is immediate and also indicating that her days in the Red Guard were far away, a dream somehow, and as much of the volume moves back and forth between the present and the past and with anecdotes to do with her childhood and family adding to a surreal and very personal explanation of a frightening time and different people's reactions to it. A chapter "A Strange Gift from the Pig Farm" refers to her habit of waking at 3 a.m. that remained after she was placed in the Manchurian countryside just as millions of other young people to finish high school were sent for menial labour away from the cities. She had had to waken at 3 a.m. to perform part of her assigned work and the habit remained, years later. (pp. 1-2) So much forgetting a disturbing time, or the person she had become, as 3 a.m. waking in America showed that some things could not be washed away. The inability to reconcile what Maoism preached, what happened, and came into view as very wrong with the CCP movement produced despair later and a wish to die which took time to overcome. Rae Yang embarked on graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts. She graduated from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 1981 and in the U.S., completed her M.A. in 1985 and her Ph.D. in 1991, obtaining a post at Dickinson College where she specializes in pre-modern and modern Chinese literature."
Tags:ChinaculturalrevolutioncommunismChinese, red army, red guard mao maoism
Abstract This paper discusses two films that address, in different ways, the myriad small and large tragedies that were spawned by the culturalrevolution in China. The 1998 "Xui Xui", directed by Joan Chen is both a love story and a story of all that was lost for all people in China during the CulturalRevolution. While, Zhang Yimou's film "To Live" tells of the subtler, less intentioned ways in which each family in China was changed by the culturalrevolution.
From the Paper "Tragedy written on a small scale is still tragedy for those whose lives are touched by it. But even as we understand this we are still more compelled to try to understand those tragedies that occur on a large scale. Two films that address in ..."
Tags:Cultural Revolutionm, China, Red Squads, Joan Chen
Abstract A review of Communist China under the leadership of Mao, focusing specifically on the years 1966 to 1976. According to this paper, these ten years where possibly the most violent and unstable eras in the history of China. These ten years saw intense internal political struggle and horrific destruction.
From the Paper "The last ten years of Mao's leadership of Communist China, from 1966 to 1976, was arguably one of the most violent and tumultuous periods in Chinese history. It was a decade in which the people of China were literally encouraged by its leader to rise up against the ruling class and take back control over domestic and foreign policy. It was a period of intense domestic political struggle as well as "appalling destruction" (Fairbank 383). In an effort to cleanse the nation of foreign influence and the trappings of the past - all of which were felt to undermine the egalitarian principles of Mao' communist vision - China quite literally tore itself apart. During the Cultural Revolution, as that period came to be known, Mao gave his support to the leftist radicals within the communist government (Wakeman par. 194). "
Abstract The late 1960s in China was known as the period of the CulturalRevolution and this was an attempt on the part of certain central Communist Party members to weed out dissent and to exert a tighter control. The paper discusses Jonathan Spence's "The Search for Modern China" which shows that the CulturalRevolution was a direct attack on all the old elements in Chinese society. The paper shows that what began as a push for the socialist purification of art would become pressure for the socialist purification of all aspects of society and life. The paper also examines "Chinese Awakenings" by James and Ann Tyson which documents the aftermath of the CulturalRevolution.
From the Paper "The structure of this book takes the reader from the peasant class upward through other levels of society to show how different individuals in different social classes are reacting to the new opportunities and the new economic forces. The idea of the entrepreneur is foreign to Communist China but is becoming more accepted. The question asked is, if it is desirable that some people become rich before others, then who should the people be, and what should be the extent of the income differences? The view taken now is that those who contribute most to the creation of society's wealth, and thereby set a good example for others, deserve to become rich first, and this group includes the entrepreneurs. This group came into existence in 1978 when the government decided to permit private individuals to engage in petty trades and services--areas in which the state sector had performed poorly--to help solve a growing unemployment problem. Because they provide much-needed services and are flexible in terms of business hours and locations, the business operators have prospered in general and have tended to earn more than state employees, and this in turn has caused some resentment."
Abstract The paper explains that in order to understand the economic problems in modern China, it is important to first have a fundamental understanding about this country, and a sense of its historical background. This background information is discussed in detail. The writer shows how the rise of the CulturalRevolution ultimately caused a rise in the Chinese economy. In conclusion, the writer states that today the Chinese economy stands on an even keel with European countries and America.
Table of Contents:
China - The Country and its Location in the World Map
China - Its Administrative Set up
China- Its Climatic and Animal and Natural Habitation
What is the CulturalRevolution?
An Analysis of the CulturalRevolution After the CulturalRevolution Economic Policies and Changes After the Cultural Movement
Bibliography
From the Paper "It was at this juncture that Mao called the Army led by Lin Biao to step in on behalf of the Red Guard. When the Army came in it resulted in a division between the military and tensions come to the forefront when Chen Zaido a Military Commander arrested two key radical party leaders. In 1968, after several cycles of radicalism Mao decided to rebuild the Communist Party to gain greater control. Military was sent in to take control of schools, factories and government agencies and this act forced many millions of Red Guard to move to rural lands to pursue their activity. This also had an effect of scattering the Red Guard and also brought some order into the urban cities. In August of 1968, when the Soviet invaded Czechoslovakia, China began to feel greatly unsecured which added to Mao's confused thinking and disillusionment.
"In the 12th Plenum of the Eight Central Committee where the point of who would inherit political power became a central issue in Chinese politics the question of who will be a successor to Mao came up. At the Ninth Party Congress meeting convened in April 1969 Defense Minister Lin Biao was officially designated Mao's successor. With this the military tightened its grip over the Chinese society. This made the entire committee and Party to be completed dominated by Military men in uniform.
"Sino Soviet Border clashes in 1969 paved the way for a martial law in China when Lin took full advantage of the situation. It was during this time several communist leaders died and many suffered moral turpitude during this upheaval. Lin was an aggressive personality and wanted power and slowly Mao began to feel his pulse the wrong way and began to work against Lin. Premier Zhou Enlai joined Mao in this venture and endeavor and Mao's wife Jiang Qing also joined in the fray. But Mao's trusted assistant Deng decided to support Lin. This break up caused many a problem within the party set up and even though many measures were taken to bring back normalcy to China in 1979-71 it could not be accomplished."
Abstract The paper discusses how recent Chinese blockbusters such as "Crouching Tiger," "Hidden Dragon" and "Hero" are examples of the popular resurgence of classical Chineseculture and mythology in post-CulturalRevolutionChina. The paper explains that after decades of effort by the communist authorities to wipe out all traces of traditional culture, national and international fascination with the beauty and romance of Chinese history and myth is stronger than ever. The paper relates that during the CulturalRevolution, not only were artists persecuted for creating 'reactionary' or 'traditional' art, anything of beauty was thought of as decadent and even flower gardens were destroyed."
This paper discusses the CulturalRevolution of 1966-1976 in relation to Chinese society that always favoured the state or the society over the individual.
Abstract The paper illustrates how the CulturalRevolution showed continuity with the Chinese past, in that individuals were certainly expendable to the state in achieving group aims. The paper explains how Communist Chinese society would liquidate an educated, low middle class that posed no direct threat to the state or the position of Mao, but were convenient scapegoats for what Mao set out to achieve. Thus, the paper highlights how the individual did not matter at all; only the overall group objective.
Outline:
Introduction
The Unity of the People
Removing the Individual
Having the Answers
Mao as 'God'
Glorifying the Worker
The CulturalRevolution Generation
The Legacy of the CulturalRevolution Concluding Discussion
From the Paper "Chinese civilization has had repeated trouble in accommodating groups that are separate or somehow challenge centralized authority whose most recent form has been the government of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). When Emily Honig described the Subei before and after the 1949 Revolution she referred to a very visible instance of Chinese inequality. (1992) Honig wrote that "the dominance of Subei people in unskilled, low-paying jobs may obscure the equally important aspect of the work experience of Subei people in Shanghai - many never entered the formal labour market at all, or worked outside it." (281)"
Abstract This paper examines modern Chinese history in order to understand how the government has reached the stage where it is ready to consider moves towards democracy. The various stages examined are diplomatic and military innovations during the "Self-Strengthening Period" of 1861-95, political reform and revolution from 1898 to 1912, intellectual revolution from after World War I to about 1923, and finally, the struggle for supreme power between the Nationalists and the Communists since 1921, which led to the rise of Mao Tse-tung, the CulturalRevolution, and the People's Republic of China in 1949.
From the Paper "In order to effectively understand the current state of affairs in China regarding cultural values and the spread of democracy, one must begin in the past, especially between 1950 and 1990 when the cultural arena of China altered drastically from its ancient agrarian system to one of modernity and acceptance by most of the other nations in the world. With a recorded history of nearly four thousand years, Chinese civilization is one of the oldest and until modern times its development had been highly indigenous, due in part to the independent spirit of the Chinese people and China’s isolation from the other great civilizations. However, with the beginning of the so-called "Age of Discovery," being the time in which China was visited by European explorers in the 16th century, the country began to shift from an ancient state into one of the most modern nations on earth. This event and a whole collection of others were nothing less than epochal for China and its people, for they broke her age-old isolationist policies and began the long-held contact with the West which though weak and faltering at first was to expand to such force in the 19th century as to create a head-on collision between China and the West. Moreover, when viewed in the context of China’s domestic and cultural development, the arrival of the Europeans takes on added importance, for it coincided with the rise of the Manchus and the establishment of the alien Ch’ing dynasty. These momentous foreign and domestic developments left behind far-reaching consequences which endowed the periods that followed, such as the Cultural Revolution, with characteristics greatly different from earlier times. Also, the influence of these other nations on China as to its culture, lifestyle and political sphere, are still in force today and have greatly altered the face of modern China."
Abstract This paper examines how China's communist history has been marked by turmoil, resistance to change, and outside influences. It looks at how, nevertheless, the country has realized that it must cooperate economically with other countries and tolerate some private business among its citizens if it is to survive. It looks at the development of Communism over the 20th century, including the Long March and the CulturalRevolution, and analyzes how its ideology needs to change with the need for a wider economy.
From the Paper "The Long March was where the communists were able to finally establish a strong footing in China. They fought many heroic battles and showed great determination. They suffered considerable hardship and took many winding routes through the countryside (Allan, 2001), which allowed Mao to continue what he had done best before: continue to organize the peasants. Mao wanted a classless society, and this position was something that could only help the Chinese peasants, who had lived in virtual slavery under the warlords. This broadened his base of power and eventually allowed him to take the country over."
Abstract This paper begins with a synopsis of the first millennium of Chinese history and the rise of Mao Tse Tung to power. It traces the childhood and early history of this communist leader and explains his take on Marxist and Communist ideology. The paper then turns to discuss the first phase of Chinese political and economic development (1952 to 1957) and Mao's economic policy. The era of the "Great Leap Forward" is explored and the 1959-60 famine is brought up as Mao's first failure. The paper looks at the involvement of Deng in China's leadership before and after the death of Mao Tse Tung and at Mao's status as a visible icon throughout China. His aims and involvement in the CulturalRevolution of 1966 are studied and the differences between Mao's and his successor, Deng's leadership are raised. The paper concludes by evaluating and comparing the relative successes of these two leaders.
From the Paper "Though both were dedicated to the communist ideology, as each had their time at the helm as Emperors in their own right. Mao Tse Tung was the high priest of Chinese communism, charismatic, energetic, calculating, and a true personal power. Mao led ideologically with great slogans and focused on what should be rather than what was, he actively shunned the West, and maintained an archaic absolutism based upon a cult of personality that resulted in the failures of the Great Leap Forward, the Famine of 1959-1960, and eventually to the Cultural Revolution. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the impact of Mao Tse Tung's ideology upon the form and function of China."
Abstract This paper examines the causes of the ChineseCulturalRevolution, including the Great Leap Forward and Mao's subsequent loss of absolute power. Through the fanaticism of his youthful followers, known as the Red Guards, Mao was launched back into power and unleashed a reign of terror across China. In this research paper, there is special emphasis on the destruction caused by the Red Guards, including, but not limited to, book burning, vandalism, torture, and even murder. This paper essentially discusses the nature of fanatical Maoist ideology. It supports its thesis through the use of primary sources, such as biographies of those who survived the culturalrevolution and documents from the period including movies, music, posters, and government documents. A full biography and footnotes in Chicago Manual/Turabian style are included.
From the Paper "During the 20th century, China experienced unprecedented turmoil and instability. In 1911, the Imperial Ch?ing dynasty was overthrown only to be replaced by two decades of constant civil war and anarchy. Although Chiang Kaishek managed to unify the country in 1928, his rule saw further trouble including the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and a communist insurrection led by Mao Zedong. Following Japan's defeat in the Second World War, Chiang Kaishek, despite some initial successes was defeated at the hands of the communists and was forced to flee to Taiwan. Mao Zedong announced the birth of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Throughout his reign, China suffered from several disasters including the Great Leap Forward, the Hundred Flowers Campaign, but especially the Cultural Revolution. Lasting from roughly 1966-1976, the Cultural Revolution has been considered the most violent and chaotic period in China's modern history. During this era, China experienced the triumph of ideological fanaticism over pragmatism, the mass execution of millions of people, and the near destruction of ancient Chinese culture."
