The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution lasted from 1966-1976. In this period Mao encouraged students to rebel against the system that he had fought to establish, under the pretence of destroying any remaining reactionary elements in the party as well as the four "olds" -aspects of traditional Chinese culture blocking communist progression, and threatening bourgeois reactionary revisionism. This upheaval lead to thousands or millions of deaths , the halt of education, the removal of the cadres in power, huge damage to the economy, a greater role of the military in politics and placed Mao in complete control. The topic has attracted a variety of diverse interpretations from a mixture of backgrounds, and so is well suited to this task.
The subject is also advantageous as at several points the Sino-Soviet histories overlap. Common events to both histories include the Soviet 20th Party Congress and the de-Stalinization process which followed. This means I can make use of my former research.
In short, this essay will study key influences on the development of the understanding of the question- What motivated Mao to instigate the Cultural Revolution? .
Synopsis.
This essay intends to explore key historiographic developments in the understanding of the true motivations behind Mao's "Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution." Series of major world events, the varying analyses of available evidence and general ambiguities on the issue have lead to inconsistencies in the conclusions of historians separated by different times of writing, various political persuasions and schools of thought. This essay summarises several of these interpretations as well as providing possible motivations that lead to their conclusions and the rationale behind shifting popular opinion.
The main phenomenon dealt with in the essay is the major shift in historical writings against the Cultural Revolution. This trend is the result of a combination of world events and outside influences on the interpretations of both generations of the writings of this history.
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