The Cultural Revolution
The cultural revolution was a social political movement that took place from 1966 to 1976. Set in motion by Mao Zedong, the leader of the Communist Party of China to reinforce communism and remove capitalists. Mao stated that the upper class were restoring capitalism and that they must be removed. He urged young teenagers to to take up the fight against capitalism (i.e. the upper class). In response they formed Red Guard groups and carried Mao's "Little Red Book" which is filled with his sayings. The Red Guards attacked people who were claimed counterrevolutionaries, people in authority from party leaders, factory mangers, teachers, writers, and artists all accused of taking the "capitalist road". Millions were persecuted across the country facing anything from wide ranges of abuses including public humiliation, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. In the long run this hurt China's economy with schools, factories, and businesses closing.