Transcript cultural revolution1 - FarnboroughHillHistoryDept

What can you learn from
these propaganda posters
about the Great Leap
Forward?
Assess the origins and
consequences of the
Great Proletarian
Cultural Revolution
c.1966-1969(?)
Assess the origins of the
Cultural Revolution
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The Aftermath of the Great Leap Forward
Dec 1958 – Mao stepped down as Head of
State – replaced by Liu Shaoqi
He is still Chairman of CCP and military
After the Lushun Conference Mao launched
2nd GLF (1959-60)
And purge of CCP – 6 million struggle
meetings
By 1959 the leadership are aware that all is not
well – chaos in China
The Aftermath of the Great Leap
Forward – Changing Policies
• 1961-62 – Backtracking on GLF
• Zhou and Liu rehabilitate many rightists
• Chen Yi (Vice-Premier) – “China needs
intellectuals”
• 3rd Five Year Plan launched 1962 by Chen Yun
(economist)
• Re-introduced Central control
• Experts and technical knowledge valued again
• More flexible annual targets
• Financial incentives for workers and peasants
• A Success
• Lessens Chinese dependence on Soviet Union
The Aftermath of the Great Leap
Forward – Split in Ideology
• Mao’s prestige is damaged by GLF
• Jan 1962 – Mao calls a conference of 7,000
party cadres in order to correct Chinese
REVISIONISM
Any mistakes that the centre has made
ought
be my direct
It is to
necessary
to responsibility,
point out thatand
the Iprimary
also have a share of the blame because I am
responsibility for the shortcomings and errors
the Chairman of the Central Committee. I
in our
work
theseto
past
few
years lies with
don’t
want
otherinpeople
shirk
their
the Party centre.
responsibility.
There are some other
comrades who also bear responsibility, but
the person primarily responsible should be
me.
The Aftermath of the Great Leap
Forward – Split in Ideology
• Favoured a pragmatic
solution to China’s problems
after the GLF
• More conciliatory towards
USA and USSR – imported
6m tonnes grain
• Mass Mobilisation is an
ineffective economic method
• Deng Xiaoping – “It doesn’t
matter if the cat is black or
white; so long as it catches
the mouse it is a good cat”
The Aftermath of the Great Leap
Forward – Split in Ideology
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Retreated from public life
Reappeared Summer 1962
Revive the revolution
“Oppose and prevent
revisionism”
• “Are we going to take the socialist
road or the capitalist road?”
• 1963 Sets up the Socialist
Education Movement –
propaganda and anti-corruption
A Growing Power Struggle
• Mao now distrusted Liu
• A Capitalist Roader
• Deng Xiaoping accused
of running an
independent kingdom
• Resented loss of power
– “They treat me like a
dead ancestor”
• Oct 1964 – Khruschev
deposed
The renegade, traitor and scab Liu Shaoqi
must forever be expelled from the Party!
Mao’s New Power Bases
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Lin Biao’s PLA
PLA became a
political tool
Every recruit given
“Quotations from
Chairman Mao”
Abolishes all ranks in
1965
Extended influence
into schools, factories
and cultural life
Jiang Qing and the
radical intellectuals
• Putting into practice
Mao’s ideas about
culture
• Spoke out against
return to traditional
Chinese arts –
revisionism
• Other allies – Chen
Boda and Kang
Sheng
Homework
• Read Stewart bottom page 134-136 and
put together a timeline entitled “Setting off
the Cultural Revolution, Feb 1965-Aug
1966”
• Think about reasons why the Cultural
Revolution started
The Personality Cult of Mao
Mme Mao and Lin Biao