What was the Cultural Revolution in

China? And why does it

matter?

The Cultural Revolution took place in China from 1966 to 1976.

It involved 10s of millions of people, including millions of young people.

If you’ve heard anything at all about the Cultural Revolution in China, you have probably heard bad things about it. Some people want you to believe the Cultural Revolution was a bad thing, a disaster, a horror. End of story. Is this true?

Not quite! There is a story here that you may find surprising and inspiring. A story that could change your life -- and the world. That’s why you should find out about the Cultural Revolution.

The story begins in the early years of the 20th century. China’s the poorest, most oppressed country dominated by foreign powers – known the world over as the “sick man of Asia”. England invades China and forces China’s feudal government to buy huge quantities of opium at high prices

Millions of Chinese became addicts. China’s wealth is looted.

Hunger, illiteracy, disease meant that the average Chinese person did not live to 40!

Conditions were brutal, especially for women, millions of whom were virtually crippled by painful foot bindings and backward social relations.

In the early part of the 1900s revolution erupted. The Chinese Communist party lead by Mao tse tung fought a protracted war with the support of peasants and workers, students and others

A peasant and worker army fought the old regime of landlords and capitalists.

Enduring a difficult struggle, like the Long March of 1936.

The U.S. after WWII tried to save the old corrupt regime of Chaing Kai Chek, but it was defeated.

After a long, complex struggle the revolution succeeded in overturning the old, regime. A new, independent, socialist China emerged after 1949.

The revolution brought big improvements in the life of the people.

But a revolution, however dramatic and important is only the first step in changing

a society for the better.

For Mao and fellow revolutionaries the goal of the revolution was communism, the end of all forms of human exploitation – by transforming 4 key aspects of

society:

1) The abolition of class distinctions.2) The abolition of all the relations of production on which they rest.3) The abolition of the social relations that correspond to these relations of production. 4) The revolutionising of ideas that result from these social relations.”

• For thousands of

years Chinese were taught Confucian philosophy -- let a few rule the many, let landlords dominate peasants, let men dominate women.

For centuries the millions of peasants were looked down upon by Confucian rulers who sought privilege

for themselves and their children. Education was only for a few.

The revolution could not change this overnight. There were Communist Party members and government

officials who fell into this same pattern.

Children of peasants were discriminated against. Money went into a few big universities where a new

elite was being educated.

This goal would take time. Socialism is a period of transition. What Mao discovered was that this transition held the potential for reversal also.

Meanwhile rural villages had few schools.

Peasant children were being left out and discriminated against, like in the old society.

Mao realized that if this continued socialism would not advance. Society

would go back to the old capitalist ways of exploitation.

Mao was looking for a way to advance forward to break down the barriers

that divided people into privileged and oppressed; esteemed and despised;

rulers and beasts of burden.

This is the origin of the Cultural Revolution.

The young people were the spark. Mao told them: It’s right to rebel against

reactionaries.

The Cultural Revolution encouraged people to make their grievances known. and fight for justice. Big Character posters appeared all over

China expressing the grievances, demands and aspirations of the people.

This was democracy on a scale no before seen anywhere.

It is said that the Cultural Revolution destroyed education in China. This is a BIG lie.

• In a typical rural county in China, Jimo, the number of children attending school went up dramatically:

• 1966 4,892 students• 1976 52,031 students

• New schools were built. Funds were allocated by farm collectives and the government. High school enrollment rose:

• 1966 433 students• 1976 19,825 students

Barefoot doctors, begun in the Cultural Revolution brought health care to millions for the first time.

The impact of the Cultural Revolution was not confined to China. It’s influence spread around the world. A generation of youth found inspiration in the uprising of youth in China.

France, May, 1968

Slogans like “Serve the People” and “It’s right to rebel” inspired people in Mexico, France, the U.S.,

Africa, Latin America, throughout the world.

The Black Panther Party in the U.S. began during the years of the Cultural Revolution and they took up the Red Book of Mao tse

tung

The Cultural Revolution, with its defiant challenge to the old, rotting capitalist system, and its vision of a better world possible through the struggle of the people – this was

explosive energy behind the rebellion of the 1960’s.

Mao gave people words to express their desire for liberation and a more just society.

The Cultural Revolution provided a new and powerful model for

human development. It’s power also explains the fear and anger it aroused in those of the old society who stand to lose their dominion.