The Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution was
a social-political movement that took place in the People’s Republic of China from 1966
through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist
Party of China, its stated goal was to enforce communism in the country by
removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society,
and to impose Maoist orthodoxy within the Party. The movement paralyzed China
politically and significantly affected the country economically and socially.
The Revolution was launched in May 1966. Mao alleged that bourgeois elements were infiltrating the
government and society at large, aiming to restore capitalism. Millions of
people were persecuted in the violent factional struggles that ensued across
the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including public humiliation,
arbitrary imprisonment, torture, sustained harassment, and seizure of property.
A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the
transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the "Down to the
Countryside Movement”. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural
and religious sites were ransacked. Mao officially declared the Cultural
Revolution to have ended in 1969, but its active phase lasted until the death
of the military leader Lin Biao in 1971.
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