The Cultural Revolution

A decade-long political campaign in China that brought mass violence, persecution and disruption of education.

Background

After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao Zedong's authority within the Communist Party weakened. He feared that the revolution was losing its way and that officials were becoming a privileged group.

Course of events

In 1966 Mao launched a campaign against alleged bourgeois elements and encouraged students to form Red Guard groups. Schools and universities closed, and many officials, teachers and intellectuals were attacked or killed. Factional fighting spread, and the army was later used to restore order, while millions of young people were sent to the countryside.

Legacy

The campaign ended with Mao's death in 1976 and the arrest of the Gang of Four. In 1981 the Communist Party officially described it as a disaster, and it left deep social and cultural wounds.