Key Idea
Totalitarian states rely on indoctrination-instruction in the government's beliefs- in order to control their people. Usually totalitarians rely on THREE strategies to indoctrinate their subjects: propaganda, youth groups, and the elimination of dissenters or "threats".
Totalitarian states rely on indoctrination-instruction in the government's beliefs- in order to control their people. Usually totalitarians rely on THREE strategies to indoctrinate their subjects: propaganda, youth groups, and the elimination of dissenters or "threats".
Cultural Revolution
The Red GuardsAs a result of the failures of the Great Leap Forward, Mao shifted gears and began to focus on a program called the Cultural Revolution.
From 1966-1968, the goal of the Cultural Revolution was to erase the culture of "old" China dominated by Confucian elites and Buddhist monks and establish a society dominated by peasants and workers. The peasant became the new hero. They worked with his hands and lived an honest and frugal life. Scholars and the wealthy were seen as villainous and a threat to the revolution in China. The warriors of the Cultural Revolution were 20-30 million Red Guards-children & teenagers indoctrinated by Maoism armed with Little Red Books. The Little Red Book was filled with quotations all from their leader, Mao Zedong. Hundreds of millions were published and ALL Chinese subjects were expected to possess there Little Red Books at all times. The Red Guards closed down schools and wandered the streets quizzing people on their ability to memorize Mao's quotes. |
Children Attacking The ElderlyDuring the Cultural Revolution, the Red Guards targeted Confucian scholars, Buddhist monks, and their school teachers. When targeted by the Red Guards, they were harassed, humiliated in public, sent off to work camps, and, while not commonplace, some were executed.
From 1966-1968 it was commonplace to see young Chinese Red Guards dragging elderly Buddhist or Confucian family members into public spaces yelling at them, spitting on them and criticizing them for continuing to practice "the old ways." One of the positive outcomes of the Cultural Revolution was the elimination of the ancient practice of foot-binding. In his pursuit of gender equality, Mao made the practice illegal in 1967. |