Chinese state in crisis 1966.

1. Chinese state in crisis 1966. By Daniela & Lucia.

2. Towards the confrontaition. • Tensions between Mao and some of the party members were growing. • Mao became frustrated by his inability to bend bureaucracy to his will. • Maos proposals of changing the post-GLF policies were not really taken into account. • Many senior leaders continued to support the post-GLF policies ad were reluctant to alter them.

3. Mao’s conclusion to this… • DANGER OF REVISIONISM!!!! • He started to think that revisionism was happening among some party members. • He tried to overcome this by launching campains. • When that didn’t work he thought that arousing the masses from below into a Cultural Revolution could ovrcome this.

4. Mao’s power base. • By 1964 the basis began to be created for an assault on the Party establishment. • This base was going to be made of three important elements: 1.The People’s Liberation Army (PLA). 2.The radical intellectuals. 3.The masses.

5. The PLA. • Lin Biao haddevoted particular attentiontorevivingpoliticalwork in themilitaryapparatus. • Thesucessful performance of te PLA in the 60s letto Mao toidentifythe Pla as a modelforcivilianbureaucraciestofollow. • Politicaldepartmentsbasedonthose of the PLA wereformwithinthegovernmentbureaucracy. • ThisgaveLin Biao more influenceoverciviliansafairs. • February 1966 a conferenceon cultural matterswasheldhaving a greatimpactoncivilian culture circles.

6. The intellectuals. • The person assembling these propagandists and writer was Mao’s wife, Jian Qing. • She developed contacts with two main groups the frist one she contacted with the help of Chen Boda, included: Guan Feng, Qi Benyu, and Lin Jie. • The second one contacted with the help of Ke Qingshi which included: Zhang Chunqiao (director fo the bureau), and Yao Wenyuan.

7. As the confrotation between Mao and the Party establishment grew, the radical intellectuals turned to more political themes. • Their power would increase as Mao found that theri skills at propaganda were a useful tol in his assault.

8. The masses. • This was conform by China’s youth especially students from highschool and college. • They formed the Red Guard movement. • The educational policies in the 1960s produced srious divisions among students. • By the eve of the Cultural Revolution what became more important for student’s ernollments was the class backround and political behaviour. • When the Cultural Revolution broke the collective resentments as well as individual divisions formed the emotional fuel for the Red Guard movement.

9. Luo Ruiqing. • He was Lin Biao’s Principal rival. • Minister of public sequirity • Because on Lin’s illnes Luo always expected to become the minister of defense. • Luo and Lin Biao started to have problems which led the Central Commitie to carry an investigation. • After Luo’s self-criticism was rejected he tried unsuccessfully to kill himself. • And and he was dismissed from the Party.

10. WU HAN & PENG ZHEN • Mao turned to problem of dissent amongst intellectuals • Hai Rui dismissed from office – by Wu Han (deputy mayor of Beijing) • Depicting unjust dismissal during Ming dynasty… it’s totally criticizing the purge of Peng Dehuai!! • Two-pronged approach • 1.- Assigned problem to Five-Man Group • Difficult position of responsibility for Peng • He focused on historical issues, not allegorical content • 2.- Yao Wenyuan (Jiang Qing )to prepare criticism too 5MG: 1964 – oversee beginnings of CR. Headed by Beijing Mayor Peng Zhen.

11. WHAT HAPPENED? • Peng Zhen & Party Propaganda Department • February Outline – ‘Reason by seeking truth from fact’ • Radicals (Yao Wenyuan, Jing Qing, Lin Biao) • Article against Wu Han • Forum Summary • Cultural life in shambles, class struggle, attacked leadership • Meeting of Party Secretariat 9-12 of April 1966 • Peng attacked by Peng Zhen, Chen Boda, even Deng Xiapoing and Zhou Enlai • 5MG disbanded, establishment of new cultural group • …Liu Shaoqi away

12. THE MAY POLITBURO MEETING • 4-18 of May 1966 • To decide fate of LuoRuiqing and Peng Zhen • Impromptu speech by Lin Biao • Lin Biao accused them of a conspiracy of a military coup • Fascinated with military in politics • Sycophantic portrayal of Mao

13. THE RESULTS • May circular • Revoked the February Outline • Blamed Peng Zhen, dissolved 5MG & created new group to answer solely to Mao • Cultural issues AND party members (purge of revisionism) • Reorganization of Beijing Municipal Party Committee, Party Propaganda Department, and Party Secretariat • Mao determined to have his way • Mao supporters – strengthened purge against revisionism • Cultural Revolution Group (CRG): • Headed by Chen Boda, advised by Kang Sheng, membership by Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, Qi Benyu, Wang Li & Guan Feng.

14. THE FIFTY DAYS SITUATION • Mao left conduct of efforts on Liu Shaoqi • Mao SUSPICIOUS of him (revisionist, people of the Khrushchev brand) • Liu in serious dilemma! (June 1966) • Have to be on Mao’s side, but… • Still had to preserve control • Radical students and teachers began to mobilize • Dazibao (wall poster at Peking University) criticizing University • Mao opposed decision to suppress this, leadership changed • Legitimized spontaneous mass protest

15. THE FITY DAYS • Inflammatory editorials in China’s Daily • Dazibao began to appear everywhere. Educational + revisionist issues. Encouraged by CRG • Authority on campuses collapsed, discipline eroded, CHAOS • Liu Shaoqi concerned! • Suspension of uni enrollment – reconsideration of examination system and curriculum • Work teams! 400 teams, 10,000 members… totally not controversial

16. MORE FIFTY DAYS • Liu’s undoing came from INSTRUCTIONS of teams • Told to criticize bureaucratic officials and faculty • Ministry of finance 90% criticized, Ministry of Culture, 2/3 of officials dismissed • University administration and faculty attacked! TERROR • Told to re-establish party leadership over student movement • Demobilization of radical students • Extremes: no rallies or dazibao, expulsions from Youth League and labor reform. • Normality semi-restored, but… polarized remaining activists • Secret organizations “Red Guards” opposed work teams

17. MORE THE FIFTY DAYS • Suppression of radicals became controversial • July 1966: case of Kuai Dafu (Qinghua University) – subject of meeting • Leading radical students. Liu Shaoqi accused him as a troublemaker • Kang Sheng defended right to criticize revisionism in Party • LINKED: Kang & CRG connected to most activists, and Liu’s wife leader of work team! • Mao Zedong saw repeated mistakes from Socialist Education Campaign in 1960s • Work teams again • Again, lower-level officials attacked and mass mobilization restricted. No recognition of revisionism

18. BEFORE THE ELEVENTH PLENUM • Mao came back from Hangzhou… but stopped for a swim at the Yangtze river! – New China News Agency propaganda • Mao demanded withdrawal of work teams • Work teams immediately replaced by “Cultural Revolution small groups elected by teachers, students and staff at each school”

19. THE ELEVENTH PLENUM • August 1966 • Personal matters: Promotion of Mao’s supporters and demotion of those who resisted or misread him • Policy matters: Plenum endorsed Mao’s position in ALL issues of 1960s (10 points, 23 articles) • Cultural Revolution: 16 Point Decision • To struggle & overthrow capitalist authorities, to repudiate and criticize bourgeois academics, and to transform education, literature and art to correspond with communism. “To change the mental outlook of the whole of society” • Mobilization of the masses

20. THE RESULTS • Personal matters • Liu Shaoqi stripped from vice-chairmanship and demoted from 2nd to 8th Party hierarchy • Replaced by Lin Biao • Cultural Revolution’s 16 Points • Highly ambiguous on degree of disorder tolerated • Prohibited reprisals against students • (Zhou Enlai): Prohibited use of coercion and force • Attempted to ‘control’ CR • Mao’s dazibao • Outside of meeting room • Accusation to ‘some leading comrades’ AKA Liu and Deng

21. THE SIGNIFICANCE • Legitimized a broad attack against the Party and the intellectual community at the personal initiative of Mao Zedong • This entailed a high degree of mass mobilization and an intense degree of political struggle