Cultural Revolution: Who is/are to blame?
I have discussed this issue with many of my mainland-Chinese friends. From an overseas observer status, I tend to find the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution to be rather extraordinary.
Back in 1958-1961, when Mao REALLY messed up the economy and the countryside of China experienced a massive famine to keep the city folks alive and working in their factories, there were already serious doubts in Mao's ability to lead China and plan her economical growth. In 1961, the Lushan plenum, Mao faced direct criticisms from Peng Dehuai, who was then arrested and replaced by Lin Biao. However, Mao's authority had already been compromised. Presidency was transferred to Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping rose in influence.
Chinese economy would be given new opportunities from 1961. But in 1966, Mao, riding at the crest of a new personality cult and extolled by students, purged both Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping, and had China going down for a further 10 years of collectivization and state planned economy. The means with which Mao guaranteed his army of red guards to form was to endorse the "Four Great Freedoms". Student and activists were allowed to link up, traverse and disregard policing and security authorities. They were allowed "freedom of speech and to criticize" and to "broadcast their views" with whatever media that's available. Both Liu and Deng were powerless against this enemy (11 million youths). Both were overthrown.
Now the question is:
- despite Mao's obvious mistakes and his admissions to his mistakes in the Great Leap Forward, why did the Chinese still support him?
People I've talked to like to blame Mao. But Mao is nothing without his supporters. The GPCR is nothing without the Red Guards enforcing it. I personally believed that the central fault has to lie with the people. The mindset of the folk was that "Mao was the founder of modern China" (true...along with his friends), and hence "cannot make any mistakes" (false...because Mao admitted mistakes himself). Another issue is the question of "too much freedom". If one was to actually observe the freedom of the youths in China during 1966-68, one could see that there is probably no other time when any youths of a modern nation state could've enjoyed so much freedom. But we also have to keep in mind that these freedoms were granted to facilitate their fervent support for Mao.
And I conclude by saying:
The people are to blame. They prefer a God-emperor that do not err (but erred) rather than a set of silent workhorses that strove to fix the broken economy. They prefer a moment of absolute freedom and invited a decade of stagnation. It's always easy to blame Mao, since it's also easy to forget that Mao was a near figurehead in 1961. His last rise to power would not have been achieved if not for the people's worship of him.
I managed to convince many mainland friends with this line of argument. But I'd like to know what others think.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Sebdeas
