Rebuilding Mao's Power Base

Question 1

Where did Mao go when he stepped out of day-to-day politics?

Answer 1

Zhongnanhai, a complex within the walls of the forbidden city used by ancient emperors.

Question 2

Who was Jiang Qing and the Shanghai Forum?

Answer 2

Jiang Qing was a former Shanghai actress and Mao’s fourth wife who led the Shanghai forum. The Shanghai forum was a group of intellectuals who targeted the cultural aspects of the cultural revolution.

Question 3

Why did Mao mistrust Liu Shaogi and Deng Xioping? Who were the ideologues? Who were the pragmatists?

Answer 3

Mao believed that Deng and Liu's policies were bringing back capitalism in China.
Ideologues believed that the communist ideology and the demands of class conflict had to be adhered to, believed in faster development (Mao, Lin Biao, Jiang Qing)
Pragmatists believed that the progress that the progress to a communist society should be steady and avoid moving too fast as mistakes could be made (Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping).

Question 4

What was the Socialist Education Campaign? What were the Ten Points? Why did it fail?

Answer 4

The Socialist Education Campaign drove to reinvigorate China with a revolutionary zeal and return China to the path toward communism.
The 'earl ten points' proposed that the masses should be mobilised to criticise corrupt party cadres. The 'later ten points' ruled that any disruption should be kept to a minimum and that middle-class peasants should not be attacked.
The campaign failed and Mao blamed Liu and Deng for being unenthusiastic and uncommitted to it.

Question 5

How did Lin Biao and the PLA help Mao to rebuild his power base?

Answer 5

• Lin Biao reformed the PLA into a seemingly revolutionary and egalitarian organisation that was in support of Mao.
• Lin Biao also produced the little red book which promoted revolutionary ideals such as self sacrifice, self resilience and continuing the struggle.

Question 6

How did the creation of a personality cult help Mao rebuild his power base? Who was Lei Feng?

Answer 6

• Mao’s cult of personality effectively placed him above all party leaders and created immense support for himself and his agendas.
• Lei Feng was a soldier in the Peoples Liberation Army who was the object of several major propaganda campaigns in China.