The Red Guards of Chinese Cultural Revolution - Research Paper Example

Today’s and Period Assignment ‘China’s Red Revolution: The Horrors of the Red Guard or Mao Zedung’ Introduction The China that is known today has its political legacy based in the ‘Cultural Revolution’ led by Mao Se Tung. The ‘Red Guards’ or ‘Hong Weibing’ were the youth which participated in the ‘cultural revolution of China’, and believed themselves to be the soldiers who were fighting to liberate china from the ‘Four Olds’, the customs, culture, habits and ideology (Szczepanski). The red guards based their ideologies on the words and writings of Mao and believed that were an army led directly by Mao. They were encouraged by Mao to lead the revolution actively and to ‘destroy’, ‘deprive’, and ‘criticize’ the old ways but did not put forth any ideology related to ‘building’ or ‘rebuilding’ china, which left the red guard only with a purpose to destroy and not to build (think quest). When the revolution ended the red guard were dispersed by moving them to the country side to re-educate them (Szczepanski; tsquare). Although it was acknowledged and came to the notice of Mao that the Red Guard had gone beyond his control and were committing inhuman acts, yet no trials were held and none got punished. The thesis will aim to analyze that the citizens who acted as part of the ‘cultural revolution’ acted as a part of the crowd without having any sense of what they were doing whereas the leadership manipulated the red guard to meet their ends and could have stopped the acts from occurring at any time during the revolution; thus the people involved in those heinous acts cannot be held responsible for the blood shed and the responsibility rests solely with the leadership of the revolution. Who Were the Red Guards? The Red guards believed themselves to be Mao’s army and named themselves thusly; ‘Hong’ meant red or the ideology of Mao which was being protected, ‘Wei’ by ‘bing’ meaning (soldiers) of China (Morning sun). Red guards began with a small group of school children who started with naming themselves ‘Chairman Mao’s Red Guards’, but Mao’s direct support and encouragement for them led the group to be named the ‘Red Guard’ (morningsun). The Red Guard comprised of young people who belonged to families from the ‘five red types’ (Xiuyuan 534). In 1966, Mao called for a ‘cultural revolution’ against the segmentation that had been created in the society and wanted to rid the society of all evil by eliminating any elements of ‘Capitalist’ or ‘Bourgeois’ ideology (NBC, 2011). As a result of Mao’s call, two character posters were plastered at the Tsinghua University to oppose the administration at the Universities of Beijing and Tsinghua as intellectual elitists and bourgeois who had diverged from the right path of thought; the poster was signed by ‘chairman Mao’s red guard’ (Byers 2). Mao endorsed the actions of the group and encouraged their thinking that their thinking was in line with that of Maoism, and as a result of his order the manifesto was to appear in People’s Daily and a nationwide broadcast was sanctioned (Byers 2). The movement gained popularity. In Tiananmen Square Mao addressed a gathering of above eight hundred thousand people while he wore the Red Guard arm band throughout the rally, showing unrelenting support for the guard and their actions (Byers 3). Although the red guards began as a movement of the youth and young students but later on engulfed the working and peasant population (Szczepanski). As the movement progressed the red guards became known for their destruction, violence and cruelty. The guard destroyed cultural abodes, writings, buildings, religious buildings and much more in the name of destroying the four olds; people were killed and humiliated for their anti-Maoism ideology (Szczepanski). Where for many the red guard is a memory of grief and violence; for many others it is nothing but a group of people who were clad in old army jackets, wore red arm bands and chanted, ‘long live chairman Mao’ as they waved his ‘Little Red Book’ (morningsun). Mao’s Red Guard Mao was suffering from a phase of diminished authority and political popularity as a result of suffering failure at the ‘Great Leap Forward’, and while others took on responsibilities that diminished his political significance and authority; Mao launched the Cultural Revolution which was nothing more than a way to exert his own way of thinking and ideology on the people of China (history learning site). As Mao himself stated that: “There are ideas that make people turn to revolution. In the Cultural Revolution, the idea leading the people is what we call, “Maoism”……While Marxism or Leninism represented a collection of wisdom, Maoism belongs to just one person, Mao Zedong” (think quest.org). It seemed more like a quest for power than social reform and revolution. Although Mao did not formally organize the Red guards or the movement yet it cannot be ignored that Mao took advantage of the young minds and by providing them with unquestionable support and authority he paved the way for what happened during the Cultural Revolution. Mao selected the red guard for their functionality as it suited Mao to select a group of free thinkers who were still in their early education years and secondly they travelled all through China, which would facilitate in spreading Mao’s ideology (think quest). During the Tiananmen Square rally Mao addressed the red guards and made them feel like the purgers of society and portrayed them as ‘class enemies’, who were meant to destroy anything that signified capitalism or feudal China (think quest). The Red Guard moved through the streets carrying posters of Mao and destroyed anything that represented the four olds; out of the 6,843, about 4,922 cultural and religious heritage sites were ruined, so much so that the Forbidden City in Beijing had to be sealed off by the military in order to preserve it (Byers 3; think quest). Schooling institutions closed following the movement growth and the students were provided with freedom to travel throughout China which was called as the ‘great linkup’ (Byers 3). Mao encouraged the Red Guard to fight against the People’s Liberation Army, which added fuel to fire (think quest). Mao asked the Red Guard to attack the hub of power in China, he openly invited the Red Guard to ‘bombard the head quarter’ (Byers 3). The guard used the quotes from Mao as their guideline and justification for their actions. As Mao said that, “Progress is born in chaos and originality comes from destruction” (cited in think quest). Taking such statements forward the Red Guard did what they thought was in the best interest of China. Abstraction in Mao’s Ideology One of the main reasons that the Cultural Revolution took such a bloody route was the abstraction in Mao’s ideology of a Utopian China. Although he presented a clear idea about what he wanted ‘destroyed’, ‘swept’, or ‘criticized’, yet he did not outline what should come in its place and how to, ‘destroy’ or ‘sweep’ the four olds. The Red Guard formulated their own interpretation of Mao’s quotes and used them to justify and do what they did. The red guards were mostly people who had no political views and were just acting based on the brainwashed teachings of Mao and were led by Biao and Qing (think quest). The ideology of Mao was so abstract that red guards started accusing red guards of being against the ideology and started to fight among themselves (think quest). Mob Psychology and Mao’s Red Guard The concept of mob psychology or mob mentality iterates that as people become associated with a large group, they do what the crowd does and are deindividualized; and according to the subconscious theory the individuals in the group lose the responsibility for the actions that they commit, on the premise that ‘everyone’s doing it’ (Cornell). Unthoughtful and unconscious actions are a significant feature of the ‘mass mind’ like the cultural revolution; individuality and consciousness is lost in the passion and spell binding craziness of the mass; and the self is replaced by the collective unconscious (Wang). The people in the crowd act in accordance with the ideology of the mob which might also go against their personal attributes, ethics and mentality (Cornell). Since conformity is a significant feature of crowds, hence everyone is encouraged to follow the actions even if they might be anti-social; like violence, torture or humiliation (Cornell). Milgram conducted a Blind Obedience study from which Zimbardo concluded that to control a mob all that needs to be done is, is to offer the people with an ideology, semantic alteration, vague and abstract rules and ideology that can be changed when ever wanted, give the participants of the mob a significant and meaningful part to play in the process and finally the diffusion of responsibility (Sabolich 3). Mao unlike other revolutionary leaders like Stalin or Hitler, did not have particular people or groups of people assassinated; rather he used the weapon of movements which he targeted against those who opposed his views and ideology (Southerland). Mao presented the people with his ideology in the ‘little red book’ and advocated that as a result of his ideology China would become an economic power (Sabolich 5). Phrases and slogans like, ‘the powerful guard of the red regime’ and ‘long live the proletarian revolutionary spirit of rebellion’ acted as semantics for the crowd (Sabolich 6). Initially Mao formed the civil military alliance, then in 1962 he moved the socialist education campaign and again in 1966 a sixteen point directive was issued; as such Mao kept on changing the rules whenever he felt like it (Sabolich 7). According to professor Suzanne of the Vienna University, the movements targets used to shift so often and it took no time for the accuser to become accused, anyone could be next (cited in Hays). He provided the Red Guard and masses of students a significant role to play in the movement, by asking them to reject the old capitalistic china and follow the Socialist china of Mao, and in doing so he instigated them to fight the intellectuals, parents and administrations of factories (Sabolich 8). Finally, he diffused the responsibility by giving every student and person in the Red Guard movement, ‘the right to rebel’ (Sabolich 9). Jung Chang, who belonged to the Red Guard, wrote a book called the ‘Wild Swans’; in her book she wrote about Mao that he wanted ‘absolute loyalty and obedience to himself alone; he saw boys and girls in their early teens as his ideal agents’ as they were easily manipulated (cited in Southerland, ‘a nightmare leaves scars’). Another former red guard, Tsoi Wingmui, who is now aged 45 and the executive editor of pen magazine in Hong Kong said that, ‘I thought what the Communist party asked me to think. I did what the communist party asked me to do…..I learned that very kind and even gentle people can change personality in such a situation. Some of the gentlest people become very cruel’ (cited in Southerland, ‘a nightmare leaves scars’). Red Guard and Cultural Revolution Mao used mob psychology to divert the red guards towards the nine classes of enemies that he had singled out as ‘bad classes’ (Southerland; Hays). The targeting of the bad classes led to the victims being publically humiliated and at times death by torture, but the red guards had no legal constraints to fear (Hays). The officials at the lower –levels, at Mao’s bidding created victim quotas that needed to be filled during a campaign (Hays). Techniques like ‘social isolation’ and ‘social humiliation’ were used during the campaigns; and people who had been decreed the ‘enemies of the people’ were physically and psychologically tortured; which also led to many people committing suicides (Hays). Extreme hair style cuts were given to the class enemies to inflict humiliation upon them (Xiuyuan 534). Not only the ‘class enemies’ but also their families were killed during the period of ‘red terror’ (Xiuyuan 535). Anne Thurston, who was the assistant writer to Mao’s physician wrote that, ‘He willingly allowed millions of people to die in order to have his way’ (Southerland). Strauss and Southerland argue that Mao is responsible for at the least 40 million and up to 80 million ‘unnatural deaths’ during the time China was under his rule; of which 20 million are estimated to have died during the ‘Cultural revolution’. Life beyond the Revolution After the revolution the red guards were moved to the country side for a re-education and to learn from the peasants there. Mo Bo who was part of the red guard recounts his experience of how life was at the country side (new internationalist). Mo Bo who is 63 recounts his experience at the country side and calls the idea of learning from the peasants ‘uninspiring’ (new internationalist). He recalls that most of them who had left the city life and went to the country side regretted it later on as they had become used to the luxuries of life in the city and were soon enough not inspired any more with the cause or the revolution (new internationalist). Youth sent to the poorer villages hated the setting right away and considered the people there as illiterate and unknowledgeable (new international). None of the red guard were held accountable or punished for the actions they had committed. Not even a confession from a red guard could land him in prison as recounts Wang, who was a 16 year old member of red guard and had killed another boy (NBC). Wang in a public confession, remembers going to the police to confess killing another boy but he was not arrested and just let go (NBC). Ghosts of the Revolution Past Liang Xiaosheng, formerly a red guard, has recently wrote a book about his personal experience about being a part of the red guard, ‘The Confession of a Red Guard’, Liang has addressed the psychological factors that lead to the behavior of the Red Guards (Wang). Liang recounts the Tiananmen square rally, which was addressed by Mao; he recalls that as the crowd heard of his approach they all went into a frenzy of madness and indiscipline, yelling ‘long live chairman Mao’, and all that without even catching a glimpse of him (Wang). Many copied Mao’s words in their red books with their own blood (Wang). Liang writes in his book that the Cultural Revolution allows to better understand how people behave when they become a part of a crowd or a mass; ‘When they are over throwing an old regime and establishing a new system, the masses are great. When they piously bow down to religious totems, they are trifle. When swayed by a certain unrealistic, abstract theory, they are pitiable. When subject to manipulation and ready to manipulate others, they are disgusting’ (Wang). Feng Jicai, who is the author of the book, ‘One Hundred People’s Ten Years’, relates the experience of a man he interviewed (Hays). Feng says that an attack was carried against a boy who had defeated a red guard member in a political debate, the boy’s tongue was cut out with scissors; the boy who did the cutting was still haunted by the image of the scissors (Hays) Wang Jiyu recalls how brutally he murdered the boy and also that he did not mean to do it; he adds that since the day he murdered the other boy he has difficulty sleeping and believes that anyone who has ever committed a crime cannot sleep well at night (NBC). He recalls all those actions as crime and says that they should remember those dreadful years and curses all those who praise ‘the era when all humanity collapsed’ (NBC). In 2010, a letter of public apology was issued by some red guards for acts against their teachers (zonaeuropa). Shen Xiaoke, Hu Bin, and Guo Canhui, all issued a public apology for their teachers Cheng Bi, Guan Qiulan and Li Huangguo (zonaeuropa). The red guards apologized for slapping, kicking and spitting on their teachers (Zonaeuropa). Conclusion The red guard movement was although not found by Mao but it was founded on Mao’s ideology and way of thinking, and the movement only gained momentum when it found relentless support and unquestionable authority from the leader that is, Mao himself. The legalization of the group and the legitimization of the activities of the red guard without any penalty and accountability what so ever, is clear indication that the movement and the Red Guards were used as a tool to seize power. As soon as the guards had served their function they were dispersed by either being moved to the country side from where they returned many years later or not at all. The proof from interviews and the issued public apology make it evident that the Red Guard acted as a group and a mob does not have a brain. Most of the people acted in ways that did not reflect their own views or nature but being a part of the mob they lost their individual thinking ability and acted in accordance with the ideology of the movement. Heinous crimes were committed against the common man by the guard. Mao had the ability to stop these actions of the guard at any time; as was seen at the end of the Cultural Revolution. He pursued the cause until his purpose had been served. It can be soundly assumed that the movement would have died within the confines of the Tsinghua University had Mao not intervened and aggravated the issue. The blame rests with the leadership of the cultural movement for turning an ideological movement into a blood ridden revolution and a quest for power. References Byers, J. S. “Legitimization f the Red Guard Movement.” University of Washington. 27 July 2012. 16 April 2013. Cornell. “Mob Psychology.” Cornell. 2 November 2012. 16 April 2013. Hays, J. “Cultural Revolution – Enemies and Horrors.” Facts and Details. April 2012. 16 April 2013. Historylearningsite. “The Cultural Revolution.” 16 February 2011. 16 April 2013. Morningsun. “Living Revolution Red Guards.” 16 June 2010. Long Bow Group. 16 April 2013. NBC. “Former Red Guard breaks silence on murder.” NBC News. 27 September 2011. 16 April 2013. Newint. “I Was A Teenager.” New Internationalist. April 1987. 16 April 2013. Perry, E. J. “Reclaiming the Chinese Revolution.” The Journal of Asian Studies 67.4 (2008): 1147 – 1164. JSTOR. 16 April 2013 Sabolich, L. L. “The Red Guard and the Cultural Revolution, How Could it Have Happened.” Oklahoma City University. 13 June 2008. 16 April 2013 Southerland, D. “Uncounted Millions: Mas Death in Mao’s China.” Paul Bogdanor. 17 July 1974. Washington Post. 16 April 2013. Southerland, D. “A Nightmare Leaves Scars, Questions.” Paul Bogdanor. 18 July 1994. Washington Post. 16 April 2013. Southerland, D. “Red Guard Rule.” Paul Bogdanor. 18 July 1994. Washington Post. 16 April 2013. Strauss, V. & Southerland, D. “How Many Died.” Paul Bogdanor. 17 July 1974. Washington Post. 16 April 2013. Szczepanski, K. “Who Were China’s Red Guards?” Asian History. 2013. About.com. 16 April 2013 Thinkquest.org “Discovering China: The Cultural Revolution.” Think Quest. 2013. 16 April 2013 Thinkquest. “Maoism.” Think Quest. 2013. Think Quest. 16 April 2013 Thurston, A. F. “Victims of China’s Cultural Revolution: The Invisible Wounds: Part I.” Pacific Affairs 57.4 (1984 – 1985): 599- 620. JSTOR. University of British Columbia. 16 April 2013 < http://www.jstor.org/stable/2758711> Thurston, A. F. “Victims of China’s Cultural Revolution: The Invisible Wounds: Part II.” Pacific Affairs 58.1 (1985): 5 - 27. JSTOR. University of British Columbia. 16 April 2013 < http://www.jstor.org/stable/2758007> Tsquare. “Red Guards.” Tiananmen Square. 15 May 2009. Long Bow Group. 16 April 2013. Wang, B. “The Sublime Figure of History Aesthetics and Politics in Twentieth-Century China.” Morning Sun. 11 June 2004. Long Bow Group. 16 April 2013 Xiuyuan, L. “A Step Towards Understanding Popular Violence in China’s Cultural Revolution.” Pacific Affairs 67.4 (1994-1995): 533 – 563. JSTOR. University of British Columbia. 16 April 2013 < http://www.jstor.org/stable/2759573> Zonaeuropa. “Red Guards Apologize Forty-Four Years Later.” East South West North. 4 November 2010. 16 April 2013 Read More