CULTURAL REVOLUTION

Causes - Power Struggle

Since he stepped back from power Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaping had been gaining power
Jan/Feb 1962 Liu embarrassed Mao at the 7000 Cadres meeting by accepting blame for GLF failures without consulting Mao
May 1963 Mao appears to regain power when his Socialist Education Movement is implemented however Liu and Deng continue to undermine him by publishing contradicting documents. Liu and Deng retain power and Mao doesn't
1965 Liu is relected as President in a blaze of glory
- A final straw for Mao as reestablishes Liu's growing power
Mao needs to act to regain power
Cultural Revolution a means by which to do this
Proof in Liu being attacked during revolution
- Falling from 2nd to 8th in the party
- Died under house arrest in 1969
Cultural revolution must have aimed to remove Mao's oppenents as many of them were attacked
- Therefore Cultural revolution caused by Mao's need to restore power and win power struggle

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Khrsuchchev lost power in Russia in October 1964
He lost it because of economic failures - with which similarites can be drawn with Mao
Mao feared he may suffer the same fate
CR therefore put in place to secure his future
Any opposition who could lead to his downfall removed (incl. power struggle but alos smaller threats to Communist regime throughout China)
Support of youth to emsure would no rebel against him
CR was a protection mechanism

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Getting old, Mao reflected on his own mortality
He wanted his legacy to live on after his death
A momentous event eg the CR would secure his place in history
Mao began to influence all aspects of life
- Little Red Book
- Tiananmen Square rallies (1st in August 1966)
Ensured he would be immortal in Chinese history

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Remoce 4 Olds
- Custom
- Habits
- Ideals
- Culture
Mao wanted to modernise culture through the CR
Attacked Museums/Temples/anything bourgeoise
- Fingers broken for playing Chopin
Madame Mao assisted with this reinventing Chinese Culture in a form of propaganda
- She declared ghosts bourgeoise
As suggested in the name the CR did have many aims to reinvent Chinese culutre- this was a cause
- However nothing replace the culture whihc was lost so perhaps it was not a geniune attempt- this could have beena cover cause to promote Mao's ideolgy against bourgeoise

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During the CR Mao attacked teaching methods and replaced many doctors with untrained bare foot doctors
Mao wanting cultural and social reform may therefore be cause
Teachers attacked and some killed
- Clear that Mao encouraged change here
By removing the elitist systems in China Mao went some way to spreading socialist ideals across China

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