“Mao Zedong Thought” and the Cultural Revolution
Keywords:
Mao Zedong Thought, China, Cultural Revolution, conflict theory, mass mobilizationAbstract
This study examines “Mao Zedong Thought” in leading the Chinese Communist Party, China, and the Thought that led to the eruption of the Cultural Revolution in 1966 and its impacts. It is found that Mao Zedong Thought was mainly developed from Marxism-Leninism, his background and experience. The key elements of Mao Zedong Thought are Marxist revolution, the importance of the peasants, mass mobilization and voluntarism, continuous revolution, proletarian revolution, self-criticism, class struggle, and the primacy of Mao Zedong Thought. He was also interested in employing conflict theory to change culture and socio-political system of China. Campaigns launched under Maoist ideology had an important and serious impact on China and Chinese people. Reasons for the Cultural Revolution, erupted in 1966, are quite complex. For Mao, it is as an ideal of social transformation and his response to revisionism that threatened his thought of social equality and class struggle. Although purging the Party leaders, condemned as revisionists, was his personal reason, it was the Thought on continuous revolution and mobilizing the masses. The Cultural Revolution went beyond the stage of historical development and failed to lead effectively. It greatly impacted on various parts of China and changed the Chinese people’s world outlook and values.
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