Cultural Revolution (Noun)
Meaning
A radical reform in China initiated by Mao Zedong in 1965 and carried out largely by the Red Guard; intended to eliminate counterrevolutionary elements in the government it resulted in purges of the intellectuals and socioeconomic chaos.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Examples
- The Cultural Revolution, launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, was intended to purify the Communist Party of China but ultimately led to widespread violence and destruction.
- During the Cultural Revolution, millions of intellectuals, artists, and members of the educated class were forcibly sent to the countryside for reeducation through labor.
- The violence and chaos of the Cultural Revolution had a profound impact on Chinese society and its economy, resulting in the deaths of an estimated one million people.
- The goals of the Cultural Revolution, as outlined by Mao Zedong, were to eliminate all elements of traditional Chinese culture, capitalist thinking, and cultural imperialism.
- The effects of the Cultural Revolution were so profound that they continued to shape Chinese society and politics long after the period of radical upheaval had come to an end.