Everything Everywhere Daily The Cultural Revolution
Oct 18, 2025
Dive into the tumultuous period of the Cultural Revolution in China. Explore how Mao mobilized students into Red Guards and the chaotic efforts to destroy traditional culture. Discover the devastating human toll, including purges and economic collapse. The podcast reveals the long-term effects on Chinese society, highlighting the 'lost generation' and the party's current focus on stability. Learn how the chaos ultimately paved the way for Deng Xiaoping's pragmatic economic reforms, shaping modern China.
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Decade Of Cultural And Educational Collapse
- The Cultural Revolution was a decade-long upheaval that destroyed China's cultural and educational institutions.
- It created a 'lost generation' whose educations and careers were interrupted or ended permanently.
Power, Paranoia, And 'Revisionism'
- Mao's authority weakened after the Great Leap Forward and he feared ideological drift within the party.
- He framed opponents as 'revisionists' and used that label to justify purges against pragmatists.
A Play That Ignited A Movement
- The Cultural Revolution began after criticism of a historical play, Hai Rui Dismissed from Office, written by Wu Han.
- Mao and allies interpreted the play as a veiled attack and used it to expose ideological drift in the party.
