The Moderate Point of View

1. The Moderate Point of View Cultural Revolution

2. Cultural Revolution • The political campaign was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 • Aim: • eliminate political opposition, especially moderates • Revolutionize and purify Chinese society. • Reinstate Mao’s position • Result: • social chaos and political persecution • thousands dead and millions imprisoned/exiled.

3. Prominent Moderates Zhou Enlai Deng Xiaopeng Liu Shaoqi • Position:Head of State (President) replacing Mao in 1961 • Reason for Opposing Mao:The Great Leap Forward • How he was dealt with: Imprisonment • Was accused of being “Chinas’ biggest capitalist roader” • Other details: • He favoured the introduction of piecework, greater wage differences and measures that sought to undermine collective farms and factories. • He resigned from all his posts on 13th October 1968 • He died in captivity in 1969 • It wasn’t until 5 years after his death that anyone noticed he was gone. • Position: Premier and Foreign Minister (1949-1976) • Reason for opposing Mao: He disliked the chaos caused by the red guards. • Other details: • He was a target of the Gang of Four's political campaigns. • He was a moderating influence on some of the worst excesses of Mao's regime • Had been active throughout his life as a communist • Position: General Secretary • How Mao Dealt with him: He fell out of favor and was forced to retire from all his offices. He was then sent to work in a factory • Other Details: • He worked with Liu on more progressive ideas • The Gang saw Deng as their greatest challenge to success

4. A Moderates’ Point of View

5. 1966: Beginning of the Revolution A Moderates’ POV Mao Zedong has launched another campaign with a swim across the Yangtse River. People call it “the proletarian cultural Revolution” Although he is extremely opposed to us moderates, I can’t help but admire his persistence in doing whatever it takes to achieve his goals. He promises reform & revolution of culture, bringing us back to communismand again, to avoid the ‘capitalist road’. To be honest, I’m a bit skeptical of this new revolution, as the last campaign proved to be a disaster. It also appears to be that Mao sees us as a threat, as an obstacle in the way of pure communism. Mao says we have all forgotten the original aims of the communist party. But it seems a bit hypocritical of him to say so. He took great lengths to propel the country forward into a modern society, and now couple’s aren’t even allowed to hold hands in public. However ambitious Mao is, he doesn’t seem to take into account the consequences of his actions. The Red Guards are getting out of control, attacking innocents and even each other.

6. 1969: End of the RevolutionA Moderates’ POV So this is what comes of the revolution. Law and Order non-existent, millions of uneducated people, and hundreds of thousands dead. Being the main targets of the campaign, many of us have suffered torture, abuse (both physical and verbal), public humiliation, exile and imprisonment. Our great leaders have been purged from the party and have been reduced to mere workers. Some have even attempted suicide. Things have been bad for everyone. The Industry that Mao intended to improve had collapsed, forgotten and farming wasn’t any better.

7. Fact File • After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, moderates in the Communist leadership began implementing more gradual approaches to economic development and social organization. By doing this, they were accused of being capitalists. • Frustrated with the slowness change, Mao sought an opportunity to attack the moderates • Red guard students began to criticize teachers, school administrators, and government leaders. • Moderates were subjected to public criticism, humiliation, and physical abuse in meetings known as struggle sessions.