Chinese history: cultural revolution - Essay Example

Chinese history: Cultural Revolution Why Mao launched Cultural Revolution Mao had various reasons when he launched Cultural Revolution era in China. First, Mao’s close ties with China’s youths urged him to initiate strategies that would provide them with revolutionary experience. Secondly, Mao had urgency to reaffirm the fundamental role of Chinese communist Party (536). In addition, he was greatly worried of his inherent position and power within the party coupled with legacy concerns. Thirdly, Mao desired for policy reforms that would introduce revolution within health care, cultural systems, and educational sector.

Lastly, Mao aimed at creating leaders who will remain faithful to his ideologies and replace his designated successors. In addressing the aforementioned rationale, Mao initiated Cultural Revolution with the intention of presenting youthful CPP members with leadership opportunities (541). It is imperative that Cultural Revolution era revitalized youths’ enthusiasm and beliefs besides strengthening Mao’s position within CPP and the country. Events that occurred during Cultural RevolutionEconomic activities seizure During Cultural Revolution era when radical groups including Red Guards moved through the republic, several economic activities stalled.

The various battling factions of worker Red Guards and University students paralyzed business activities including shipment of goods, railways services, and closer of retail shops. Population of cultural revolutionary groups jammed city streets, restricted opening of warehouses, retail shops, and removed railway lines. The aforementioned activities of Red Guards groups and Students resulted into inadequacy of food supplies and fall in economic levels (547). Consequently, republic citizens lived in fear, suffered of hunger, and experienced nationwide famine.

It is indispensable that great leap forward that involved attempts to attain rapid industrialization resulted into the aforementioned economic problems. Besides closure of businesses and warehouses, industrial activities also stalled after workers abandoned their jobs. Majority of workers had contracted fear that they may fall victims of Red Guards who mistreated anti-cultural revolution citizens. In addition, other workers had boycotted duties to join Red Guards in protest for meager salaries and poor work conditions.

Zhang and Yao tried to influence workers by ordering them back to their jobs through control of major impactful news sources. However, Zhang and Yao struggled with Red Guards and other youths who protested their notion through fighting (548).Educational seizure and Youths surge After launching Cultural Revolution through issuance of circulars from CCP’s central committee, Mao Zedong ordered the historic broadcast of large character post within Beijing University. Consequently, learning within institutions including high schools and colleges paralyzed as students joined surging youths.

In addition, Mao’s actions encouraged students to attack school authorities and other citizens with revoking character postings. Mao and other Cultural Revolution radicals encouraged students and youths to join the surge by issuing them with armbands (544). Consequently, the students and other youths joined Red Guards group that conducted the new revolutionary upheaval. Demolition of property, Killing, and torture of citizens Red Guards movements and other Cultural Revolution leaders who support the era conducted several attacks on the perceived four elements within Chinese community.

The comprehensive attacks aimed at demolishing Chinese old customs, culture, thinking, and habits (545). Consequently, the revolutionary struggle encouraged millions of surging youths to demolish art objects, temples, and old buildings. Red Guards also conducted several attacks on school administrators, parents and party leaders. The youths incited by Mao’s military confidants tortured and killed citizens especially those who had western education. Red Guards also paraded intellectuals, western businesspersons and missionaries who tried to stop them from demonstration.

It is imperative that mass protest and immoral activities of the Red Guards movement resulted into fear and violence in China republic (545).