Mobilization, Factionalization and Destruction of Mass Movements in the Cultural Revolution

Download or read book Mobilization, Factionalization and Destruction of Mass Movements in the Cultural Revolution written by Joshua Zhang and published by Remembering Publishing, LLC. This book was released on 2020-06-05 with total page 397 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on a unique survey of Chinese respondents, the authors find that participation in social movements during the Cultural Revolution was motivated by the desire to improve social status or maintain existing positions in the social hierarchy. A strong relationship is noted between factional alignment and family background in provinces immersed in class-based struggle; however, the association becomes nil in provinces where sectarian struggle was grounded in class. The authors assert that the social conflict school has failed to adequately examine sectarian internecine fights among rebels in attempts to explain the mass movements, while the political process school has ignored fundamental social conflicts embedded in Chinese society. Potential pitfalls likely to confront future mass movements are identified.