Summary

The website content discusses the role of youth in the violent enforcement of Mao Zedong's ideology during China's Cultural Revolution, leading to widespread destruction of cultural heritage and loss of life, ultimately resulting in a "Lost Generation" of Chinese youth.

Abstract

During Mao Zedong's rule in China, the Cultural Revolution saw the rise of the Red Guards, a youth movement that became the enforcers of Mao's radical communist agenda. These young activists, influenced by Mao's propaganda, were responsible for significant cultural destruction, including the burning of books and the vandalism of historical sites. They also perpetrated violence against individuals labeled as capitalists or counter-revolutionaries, including public humiliation and murder. The movement's fervor led to a breakdown of social order, with children encouraged to inform on their elders. The end of the Cultural Revolution left a legacy of trauma and disruption, with many youths, once ardent supporters of Mao, facing a future devoid of education and meaningful work, earning them the title of China's "Lost Generation."

Opinions

The website suggests that young people are particularly susceptible to the allure of radical political movements, as evidenced by the actions of the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution.
It is implied that Mao Zedong cynically exploited the youth of China to realize his political vision, using them as instruments to enforce his ideology and eliminate opposition.
The content conveys a critical view of the Cultural Revolution, highlighting the devastating impact it had on Chinese society, culture, and individual lives.
The website reflects on the tragic irony that the most fervent supporters of Mao's revolution, the Red Guards, were among those most severely affected by its destructive consequences.
The narrative underscores the danger of allowing an ideology to supplant individual morality, leading to the justification of heinous acts in the name of a greater cause.

Activists Who Murder: Youth Violence in Mao’s China

This is what happens when an ideology replaces your morality

A propaganda poster from China’s Cultural Revolution by an unknown artist, 1967 (Wikimedia Commons)

Young people are more likely to be seduced by political radicalism. This trend has been consistent throughout history, and China’s communist revolution was no exception. Mao Zedong, also known as Chairman Mao, was at the forefront of the revolution. Mao wanted to remove the old order and turn his country into a communist state.

But Mao knew he couldn’t do this on his own. So, determined to see his political vision become a reality, he harnessed the youth of China and let them do the dirty work.

The Red Guards

Despite the horrors of the Great Chinese Famine (1959–1961), Mao was keen to push forward with his far-left agenda. Indeed, he wanted to transform China on a cultural level by destroying the past and cleansing society of anything connected with capitalism.

To begin with, the sons and daughters of prominent politicians persuaded their friends to become activists. The movement then spread to various schools and universities across the country with the help of Mao’s propaganda.

Young people started to wear paramilitary uniforms with red armbands, and they called themselves the Red Guards. They also bought copies of The Little Red Book, which was full of well-known speeches and quotations from Mao.

On the 18th of August 1966, Mao staged a rally in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Hundreds of thousands of young people attended the rally, chanting their revolutionary slogans and displaying their red armbands.

This huge event was a watershed moment. The violence was about to begin.

A photograph of the Red Guards gathered in Tiananmen Square by an unknown photographer, 1966 (Wikimedia Commons)

The Power of Youth

Mao’s young activists caused devastation wherever they went, and their top priority was to destroy China’s cultural past. They raided libraries, burned books, vandalized museums, tore down statues, and ruined theatres and opera houses.

The Red Guards also targeted people. Anyone accused of being a capitalist — such as landlords and rich peasants — was attacked, humiliated, and sometimes even killed by the Red Guards.

Teachers and writers were seen as threats to the revolution as well. The Red Guards beat them up and shamed them in public. The novelist Lao She, for instance, was taken to a public building and humiliated in front of a jeering crowd. The Red Guards shaved his head and beat him savagely. Lao was so traumatized by the attack that he committed suicide the next day.

A photograph of Lao She by an unknown photographer, c. 1950s (Wikimedia Commons)

As time went on, the Red Guards expanded their targets. They turned on classmates, neighbors, store owners, and entrepreneurs. Again, humiliation and violence were fundamental to their revolutionary tactics. They also encouraged children to snitch on their parents and teachers if they spoke out against the revolution.

Finally, the Red Guards were keen to show their devotion to Mao. They did their utmost to ensure their leader’s face was featured in as many places as possible. Posters of Mao were displayed in homes, trains, buses, and public spaces.

China’s Lost Generation

Though Mao had been the prime instigator, he knew the violence had to stop. In July 1968, he disbanded the Red Guards, and the Cultural Revolution officially ended in April 1969.

But the damage was done. Millions had lost their homes, their possessions, and their jobs. Others had been executed, beaten into submission, or exiled to the countryside.

A photograph of Mao Zedong by an unknown photographer, 1959 (Wikimedia Commons)

The younger generation was ruined by the Cultural Revolution. They had spent the last few years inciting violence or fleeing from it. They had no education or work experience, and they became known as China’s Lost Generation. Many were sent to the countryside to work with the peasants.

Ironically, Mao’s Cultural Revolution destroyed the lives of its most adamant supporters.

Sources

Mao Zedong (2003) by Anne Faulkner

The Tyrants (2006) by Clive Foss

Dictators (2000) by Robert Green

Mao Zedong (2010) by Kimberley Heuston

The Chinese Revolution and Mao Zedong in World History (2004) by Ann Malaspina

Monsters: History’s Most Evil Men and Women (2009) by Simon Sebag Montefiore