The Cultural Revolution
Deng Xiaoping
We have decided enough is enough; elimination of our political opponent is best for our success. There can be no more socialist movements in our country; the restoration of capitalism needs to occur. We need to step forward and help our leader Mao to bring China to their reign of power. A Cultural Revolution is needed to put capitalism back on track and annex bureaucratization
Although the bourgeoisie has been overthrown, it is still trying to use the old ideas, culture, customs, and habits of exploiting classes to corrupt the masses, capture their minds, and endeavor to stage a comeback. The proletariat must do just the opposite. It must meet head-on every challenge of the bourgeoisie in the ideological field and use the new ideas, culture, customs, and habits of the proletariat to change the mental outlook of the whole of society. At present, our objective is to struggle against and crush those persons in authority who are taking the capitalist road, to criticize and repudiate the reactionary bourgeois academic "authorities" and the ideology of the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes and to transform education, literature and art, and all other parts of the superstructure that do not correspond to the socialist economic base, so as to facilitate the consolidation and development of the socialist system.
On August 8, 1966, we, the CCP, passed the “Decision Concerning the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution,” also known as “the 16 Points.” The sixteen pointes granted great amounts of freedom to the people of China. The freedoms include the right to speak out freely, to air one’s views fully, to write big- character posters, and to hold great debates. Eight days later, approximately 11million of Red Guards, who are students mobilized by Mao, gathered in Beijing to meet Mao. At the Tiananmen Square gates, Mao and Lin Biao made many appearances to the Red Guards, praising them for their actions of campaigning socialism and democracy. The Red Guards were children of the Chinese schools which Mao closed down. The sixteen points, at this point, were on their way to victory.
One of the main focuses of the Cultural Revolution was the abolishment of the “Four Olds,” old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas. Anyone who did not have a communist background was challenged for corruption and sent to prison. Torturing and killing by the Red Guards, and suicide by the people of China led to many deaths throughout the rebellion of the Cultural Revolution. Religious persecution and abolishment of religious buildings were common during this time. In the months of August and September, there were 1,772 people murdered in Beijing, and in Shanghai there were 704 suicides and 534 deaths related to this revolution. In Wuhan there were 62 suicides and 32 murdered. Mao believed in all this killing, stating, “This man Hitler was even more ferocious. The more ferocious the better, don't you think? The more people you kill, the more revolutionary you are.”
Mao Zedong, on August 22, 1966, issued a public notice, which stopped "all police intervention in Red Guard tactics and actions." Those in the police forces, who dared to defy this notice, were labeled "counter-revolutionaries." This only strengthened the revolution and the power of the Red Guards. Mao continue
d to praise the Red Guards from many months. He also continued to threaten many different actions and people throughout China, labeling them Counter Revolutionaries. Actions, words and thoughts of counter revolutionary acts (you already say “actions” in this sentence), could lead one to be killed. The current proposition of Mao seemed very different than the recent sixteen points he put in place.
As the Red Guards’ power grew stronger and stronger, they began to fight themselves as separate units. Each unit believed that it knew best how China should proceed and be ruled. On July 22, Jiang Qing directed the Red Guards to replace the People's Liberation Army if necessary, making them powerless.
In the spring of 1968, the end of the Cultural Revolution, another campaign began, promoting Mao Zedong to god-like status. On July 27, 1968, the Red Guards' power over the army was ended and a year later, the Red Guard factions were dismantled entirely. In early October, Mao sent any official who was disloyal to him to work in labor camps and then in December, Mao began the "Down to the Countryside Movement". In this movement, intellectuals, or any graduated middle school student living in cities, were ordered to go to the countryside.
The Cultural Revolution resulted in hundreds of thousands of officials and intellectuals physically and mentally persecuted. China’s education and cultural life was completely out of sorts because the youth were out of school for two years. Economic development was disrupted by factional strife and misguided policies. The Cultural Revolution also brought internal power struggles within the Communist party, with local government lacking organization and stability.
Deng Xiaoping
We have decided enough is enough; elimination of our political opponent is best for our success. There can be no more socialist movements in our country; the restoration of capitalism needs to occur. We need to step forward and help our leader Mao to bring China to their reign of power. A Cultural Revolution is needed to put capitalism back on track and annex bureaucratization
Although the bourgeoisie has been overthrown, it is still trying to use the old ideas, culture, customs, and habits of exploiting classes to corrupt the masses, capture their minds, and endeavor to stage a comeback. The proletariat must do just the opposite. It must meet head-on every challenge of the bourgeoisie in the ideological field and use the new ideas, culture, customs, and habits of the proletariat to change the mental outlook of the whole of society. At present, our objective is to struggle against and crush those persons in authority who are taking the capitalist road, to criticize and repudiate the reactionary bourgeois academic "authorities" and the ideology of the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes and to transform education, literature and art, and all other parts of the superstructure that do not correspond to the socialist economic base, so as to facilitate the consolidation and development of the socialist system.
On August 8, 1966, we, the CCP, passed the “Decision Concerning the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution,” also known as “the 16 Points.” The sixteen pointes granted great amounts of freedom to the people of China. The freedoms include the right to speak out freely, to air one’s views fully, to write big- character posters, and to hold great debates. Eight days later, approximately 11million of Red Guards, who are students mobilized by Mao, gathered in Beijing to meet Mao. At the Tiananmen Square gates, Mao and Lin Biao made many appearances to the Red Guards, praising them for their actions of campaigning socialism and democracy. The Red Guards were children of the Chinese schools which Mao closed down. The sixteen points, at this point, were on their way to victory.
One of the main focuses of the Cultural Revolution was the abolishment of the “Four Olds,” old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas. Anyone who did not have a communist background was challenged for corruption and sent to prison. Torturing and killing by the Red Guards, and suicide by the people of China led to many deaths throughout the rebellion of the Cultural Revolution. Religious persecution and abolishment of religious buildings were common during this time. In the months of August and September, there were 1,772 people murdered in Beijing, and in Shanghai there were 704 suicides and 534 deaths related to this revolution. In Wuhan there were 62 suicides and 32 murdered. Mao believed in all this killing, stating, “This man Hitler was even more ferocious. The more ferocious the better, don't you think? The more people you kill, the more revolutionary you are.”
Mao Zedong, on August 22, 1966, issued a public notice, which stopped "all police intervention in Red Guard tactics and actions." Those in the police forces, who dared to defy this notice, were labeled "counter-revolutionaries." This only strengthened the revolution and the power of the Red Guards. Mao continue
d to praise the Red Guards from many months. He also continued to threaten many different actions and people throughout China, labeling them Counter Revolutionaries. Actions, words and thoughts of counter revolutionary acts (you already say “actions” in this sentence), could lead one to be killed. The current proposition of Mao seemed very different than the recent sixteen points he put in place.As the Red Guards’ power grew stronger and stronger, they began to fight themselves as separate units. Each unit believed that it knew best how China should proceed and be ruled. On July 22, Jiang Qing directed the Red Guards to replace the People's Liberation Army if necessary, making them powerless.
In the spring of 1968, the end of the Cultural Revolution, another campaign began, promoting Mao Zedong to god-like status. On July 27, 1968, the Red Guards' power over the army was ended and a year later, the Red Guard factions were dismantled entirely. In early October, Mao sent any official who was disloyal to him to work in labor camps and then in December, Mao began the "Down to the Countryside Movement". In this movement, intellectuals, or any graduated middle school student living in cities, were ordered to go to the countryside.
The Cultural Revolution resulted in hundreds of thousands of officials and intellectuals physically and mentally persecuted. China’s education and cultural life was completely out of sorts because the youth were out of school for two years. Economic development was disrupted by factional strife and misguided policies. The Cultural Revolution also brought internal power struggles within the Communist party, with local government lacking organization and stability.
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