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Setting the stage for the Cultural Revolution
Mao and his wife begin criticizing modern art and culture, while Mao replaces people in his government with friends. Short term : rallies communist support around Mao Long term : distaste towards western popular culture leads to long term ban on such culture. Mao consolidates his government and rule by replacing government positions with friends. -
Unofficial beginning of the Cultural Revolution
Mao calls on students to carry out an aggressive hunt for revisionists. The "May 16 circular" is released Short term effects : crack down on anti-communist parties Long term effects : the creation of a national student movement known as the cultural revolution, weakening of anti-communist parties within China -
First dazibao
The creation of the dazibao as one of the most popular revolutionary activities. Short term effects : hunts down intellectuals and party officials against the CCP Long term effects : creates the next generation that is hardline under the influence of the CCP and communist ideology -
Red Guards form at Beijing University
Red guards organize at Beijing university. Short term effects : Students rally and spread the revolutionary ideas and hunt down Mao's enemies Long term effects : students eventually switch ideologies due to misunderstanding of original communist ideology -
Mao writes a dazibao
Mao writes a dazibao that states "Bombard the headquarters" which is an act on the vice chairman of the CCP. -
Sixteen Points Directive
CCP passes a statement that supports Mao's economic plans and Red Guards -
First Red Guard rally in Beijing
Mao directs police and Red Guards to destroy the "Four Olds" - creates an image of the students holding the red books and one of the icons of the Cultural Revolution. -
Chaos Escalates
Red Guards ransacked many homes and beaten many people considered counter-revolutionary. There was also internal strife which led to more chaos. -
"Down to the Countryside" Movement
Mao sends urban youth and Red Guards to do manual labour and be re-educated by rural peasants. This supposedly eliminates the threat of Chinese youth going against the CCP. -
Campaign to promote Mao's cult of personality
Mao has little control over the Red Guards, which leads to worry, while his "Little Red Book" has been spread all across China. Mao's image and cult of personality is also popularized. -
Red Guards dismantled
Mao commands PLA to dismantle Red guards. Mao portrays this as a success, which "cleansed the class ranks" -
Ninth Congress of the CCP
The Ninth Congress of the CCP convenes, and party leaders who have managed to survive the struggles and maintain their positions celebrate the purging of anti-revolutionists. -
The Lin Biao Affair
CCP leaders, the PLA, Mao, and Lin Biao have political tensions and a coup d'etat is attempted on September 1971. Lin dies aboard a plane to the USSR on September 13, 1971. -
"Criticize Lin Biao, Criticize Confucious" Campaign
After Lin Biao's death, an effort to blame him for all of the CR's effects and problems (called Criticize Lin Biao campaign) , however this is ineffective on the Chines people. -
Events leading to the end of the Cultural Revolution
Deng Xiaoping becomes the first vice premier and Maos dies on September 9, 1976 leads to political unrest and the blame of the failures of the CR on Lin Biao and the "Gang of Four" -
Tiananmen Incident
Riot ensues at a memorial for the death of Zhou Enlai, and is labelled a counterrevolutionary. -
Thesis
Although it could be argued that the long term effects of the Cultural Revolution was negative due to the political chaos it generated with the purges of Deng Xiaoping and the Gang of Four, because of how it allowed China to move towards more progressive economic reforms such as openess to international trade and the end to collective farming, while also allowing the departure from Maoism through the "rectification" campaign, therefore the Cultural Revolution had positive long-term effects.