Introduction
The Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution in China was one of the most significant changes in the country in recent history. It happened from 1966 to 1976, and in general, presented as a brutal purge movement in the social and political contexts. It was dedicated to the abandonment of capitalistic and traditional Chinese features and the establishment of communism. Mao Zedong’s ideas were actively promoted as the state ideology, and Mao was rendered with the major political powers in the country. This essay aims to reveal the goals and objectives of the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution and its impact on Chinese society, people, and culture through the discussion of three primary sources.
The Purpose of Revolution
The Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution had several goals and objectives. Its primary purpose was the eradication of Western capitalistic features from China’s political and social lives and the establishment of communism as the dominating political force. The revolution also aimed to promote the abandonment of old Chinese traditions and customs that favored the prosperity of the bourgeoisie and the working class’s inferior position. Finally, after the Chinese society was purged of its capitalistic characteristics and the working class was put in the position of power, the establishment of new culture and traditions in the country could begin. Overall, the cultural revolution intended to build a new Chinese society free of capitalism and western influence.
In this regard, Mao’s ideas were highly appreciated and were perceived as an efficient guide for establishing the new world order. Numerous authors view Mao Zedong’s Thought, or Maoism, as “the most powerful ideological weapon” due to its effectiveness in achieving the revolution’s goals (Halsall). Moreover, it can be employed as an “ideological and political telescope and microscope for observing and analyzing all things” as it was also a unique overhaul of an entire country (Halsall). Therefore, it is essential to learn more about the revolution and spread the knowledge about it among the broad public. Communism and the attempts to establish it as the political regime were not limited to China, as Maoism was intended to be promoted worldwide. According to Overfield (313), the success of Mao Zedong and his followers managed to “make the radiance of great Mao Zedong Thought eliminate the entire capital, the entire nation, the entire world.” Thus, the ideas of Maoism were ambitious, daring, risky, and, first and foremost, extremely influential and effective.
Positions Expressed in the Selected Texts
For this essay, several texts containing the opinions on the position and influence of Mao Zedong in the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution in China were analyzed. When addressing the Modern History Sourcebook by Halsall, it can be argued that the text’s composition, expressed ideas, and the utilized language point to the conclusion that the author is a passionate follower of Mao. For instance, Mao Zedong’s Thought is described as invincible, and it is stated that his theory of classes is “the highest criteria for judging right and wrong” (Halsall). Bao is confident that Mao’s ideas are most sensible and rational and must be adhered to by individuals as they can provide the solution for any problem or situation. This respectful and supporting attitude leads to a judgment that Bao endorses the purposes of revolution and Mao Zedong as a political leader (Halsall). As for Overfield, he appears to share similar views on the revolution and its leader, although he is more neutral in his description of the events. Overall, it can be argued that both texts support the idea of abolishing capitalism and establishing capitalism.
However, many authors disagree with Maoism and assert that the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution was detrimental to the country’s economic development and culture and was the vehicle for Zedong’s self-promotion. For example, My Name is Number 4 by Ting-Xing Ye argued that Mao’s influence on the country and its various institutions turned them into a “hateful vindictive place” (Ye 49). The book reveals that the revolution was used to promote Mao Zedong and his power both over the communist party and the people of China. Specifically, his influence over the young adults and students is emphasized, with the author noting that she “had never seen the students in such high spirits” (Ye 30). My Name is Number 4 particularly reprimands the atmosphere created by Zedong and his followers as accusations of people for not actively admiring the country’s new political course were encouraged and praised (Ye 5). Overall, the book criticizes the revolution, the environment is created in the country, and the blind adoration of Mao Zedong shared by many. This work shows that the deification of Chairman Mao was one of his objectives in leading the revolution.
The Intended Actions of the Revolution
It can be contended that, at times, there was a resolute discrepancy between the intended and actual actions of the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution in China. Thus, according to Halsall, the primary intention of the rebels was to prevent further development of capitalism in society and actively promote the acceptance and spread of communism as a political regime. The transition from capitalism to communism was intended to be gradual. However, it is noted that in his writings, Bao warned that the opposition of the revolution and Maoism “will be denounced by the entire Party and the whole nation” (Halsall). Overall, it is crucial to gain a complete understanding of Mao Zedong’s ideas and beliefs to understand the purposes of the revolution.
The intended actions needed to achieve the revolution and promote Mao Zedong as a political leader are discussed in more detail by Overfield. The author gives a detailed account of the steps demanded by the students attending the Maoism school. These measures included the promotion of Mao’s authority by hanging his pictures and quotations on walls in every house and distributing his work to every citizen (Overfield 313). Furthermore, private enterprises and associations were viewed as the features of the capitalistic worlds and intended to be changed to state analogs (Overfield 314). Although the promotion of Mao Zedong’s ideas and banishment of capitalism seem logical, specific steps demanded by the Red Guards can be viewed as questionable as to their purposes in the revolution. Thus, clothing representative of capitalistic countries, such as jeans and tight pants, and the products deemed unnecessary for working-class people, for example, shaving cream, was proposed to be banned (Overfield 314). Smoking, drinking, and telling jokes were also deemed characteristic of Western countries and undesirable in China (Overfield 314). Overall, Mao’s followers intended to distance their country from the Western world in all areas of life.
Actual Actions Taken During the Revolution
Unlike the two sources mentioned above, the book My Name is Number 4 attempts to illustrate the actions taken by Mao Zedong and his followers during the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution in China. Thus, Ye (30) describes how teenage school students were tasked with creating communist propaganda posters at school instead of studying. These actions in themselves were a promotion of the regime to children. Furthermore, Ye manages to depict the full force of how the party’s perspective allowed people to bully others for their refusal, real or imagined, to follow in the communist path. For example, the teacher accused of not having children out of vanity, a bourgeois trait in Maoism, was forced to show her medical records to her students to escape societal persecution (Ye 31). Thus, the promotion of Mao Zedong and his ideas was constant, and young children were exposed to it and encouraged to pledge their allegiance to the communist party. Moreover, bullying and ostracization of those who disagreed with the leader and the political regime were encouraged. Overall, the government’s active propaganda and intimidation were some of the main steps taken during the revolution.
The Aims of the Selected Sources
The texts selected for this essay have their own goals and objectives in discussing the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution and the ideas of Maoism. Thus, Jiefangjun Bao’s writings discussed by Halsall can be viewed as a promotional instrument for Mao Zedong and his quest for establishing communism in the country. Similarly, the extracts provided by Overfield are also supportive of the regime change and incorporate the tenets of communism throughout China. Specifically, the writings presented by Overfield aimed to spread Mao Zedong’s ideas among the younger citizens of the country and turn them into faithful followers of the new regime. Meanwhile, the current government and administration were criticized as ineffective and detrimental to the country’s full potential, culture, traditions, and economic development. Thus, they strived to persuade the readers to follow Mao Zedong’s ideas, participate in the coming revolution, and renounce capitalism.
Contrastingly, the book My Name is Number 4 aims to illustrate the power of ideology spread throughout China and how it affected the citizens of the country in their everyday lives. The author depicts how people were treated by their families, neighbors, and friends if they dared to question the new regime inflicted upon them. Ye shows that the promotion of Mao and his policies was omnipresent throughout her childhood, and people were recruited to his beliefs and the Communist party from a very early age (30). Overall, the purpose of My Name is Number 4 is to depict the harsh reality of regime change and its effects on the people of China through her memories and experiences of the revolution.
Conclusion
In summary, the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution in China was one of the most momentous events in the second half of the twentieth century. The revolution purged China of any features of capitalism and established communism and Maoism as enduring political and ideological regimes. The three selected works show different perspectives on the revolution, with Halsall and Overfield presenting the writings supporting it and Ye criticizing the brutality of the regime change and its incessant propaganda. The content of the texts reveals that Mao Zedong’s cult in the country was intensely promoted and used to establish political and cultural control over China.
Works Cited
Halsall, Paul. “Modern History Sourcebook: Editorial of the Liberation Army Daily (Jiefangjun Bao): Mao Tse-Tung’s Thought is the Telescope and Microscope of Our Revolutionary Cause, 1966.” Internet History Sourcebooks Project, Fordham University, Web.
Overfield, James H. Sources of Global History Since 1900. 2nd ed., Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2013.
Ye, Ting-Xing. My Name is Number 4. Doubleday Canada, 2010.