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China’s Cultural Revolution: What Happened and Why It Matters
China’s Cultural Revolution was a political campaign launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and generally dated through 1976. The death toll is uncertain: estimates cited by the UK National Archives range from 500,000 to 2 million.
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Key takeaways
- China’s Cultural Revolution was a political campaign launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and generally dated through 1976.
- The death toll is uncertain: estimates cited by the UK National Archives range from 500,000 to 2 million.
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China’s Cultural Revolution was a decade-long political campaign launched by Communist Party leader Mao Zedong in 1966. It was intended to renew revolutionary values and remove people and ideas Mao considered threats, while also helping him reassert authority within the party. Rather than overthrowing China’s government, the campaign produced years of political and social upheaval. 1
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Why Mao launched the Cultural Revolution
Mao called for a renewed revolutionary movement and a purge of what he viewed as capitalist and traditional influences. The campaign also served his effort to reshape the Communist Party and counter political rivals. 1
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To mobilize support, Mao encouraged young people to form groups known as the Red Guards. They targeted people accused of opposing the revolution and attacked traditional customs and symbols. The campaign spread beyond youth groups into wider political and social life. 1
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What happened from 1966 to 1976
The Cultural Revolution is generally dated from 1966 to 1976, ending after Mao’s death. 1
2 Political campaigns and public attacks brought violence and persecution to people across Chinese society. Estimates of deaths vary; the UK National Archives gives a range of 500,000 to 2 million.
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Education was also disrupted. Schools were shut, and millions of urban young people were sent to the countryside. A Guardian report describes 17 million teenagers being sent away from cities during the campaign. 10
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The consequences
The campaign damaged lives and disrupted political and social institutions. People faced public humiliation, persecution and violence, while attacks on traditional values and cultural objects formed part of the upheaval. 4
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School closures interrupted education, and the relocation of young people changed the course of many lives. The scale and duration of the disruption left a lasting legacy in China, although estimates of particular harms—including deaths—remain uncertain. 1
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In brief
The Cultural Revolution was not a change of government but a campaign led by Mao to renew revolutionary ideology and consolidate political authority. Its consequences included widespread persecution, violence and major disruption to education and everyday life. 1
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China’s Cultural Revolution was a political campaign launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and generally dated through 1976.
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China’s Cultural Revolution was a political campaign launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and generally dated through 1976. The death toll is uncertain: estimates cited by the UK National Archives range from 500,000 to 2 million.