Notes

In 1949, Mao Zedong won the Civil War , establishing the People's Republic of China. He started to industrialize China after he won the Civil War. In 1958, Mao Zedong established the Great Leap Forward. His initial goal was to turn China into an industrial economy. However, like Stalin’s 5 year plan, Mao’s goal failed, lasting only until 1961. Thousands of people died resulting from this goal because of increased famines. Eventually, in 1966, Mao Zedong initiated the Cultural Revolution, which was an attempt Mao Zedong took, to hold onto his power and eliminate those who were against him. Government controlled newspapers were sold and spread, saying that the Cultural Revolution was necessary for the good of communism. The “May 16 Notification” warned that there were many who opposed the Communist Revolution, replacing the country’s leaders. Eventually, the Communist Party’s official newspaper told the people to get rid of the old society’s “evil” habits, assaulting the bourgeois and the anti-communists. As a result, in August of 1966, the Red Guard was initiated.
The second of the initiation of the Red Guards, they started to destroy the “four old”: the old ideas, cultures, habits and customs. The Red Guard roamed the streets, targeting and attacking those who looked and dressed like the bourgeois and attacking even those with haircuts that looked anti-communist. Ultimately, Mao allowed this violence, ordering the security not to interfere with the Red Guards. China, eventually, fell into the midst of a Civil War, having many that clashed with each other, fighting in cities all across the nation. When this had occurred, Mao Zedong realized his forged revolution was out of control. China turned into a military dictatorship, which continued until 1971 when Mao Zedong attempted to restore order. The Chinese government was responsible for the chaos. Between the years 1971 and 1976, China slowly started to return to a stable state. On September 9 of 1976, Mao Zedong died. He thought he could turn China into a powerful communistic nation. However, Mao Zedong’s attempt led to China’s embrace of capitalism, which eventually led to the growth of China’s economy.
In America, people want change that benefits each and every one of them, as a whole. These changes include equality, justice, and an end to racism. In Minneapolis, on May 25th, 2020, two officers pulled over George Floyd for using a fake 20 dollar bill to buy cigarettes. The situation led to George Floyd being arrested for resistance. As George Floyd was being taken into the police vehicle, he fell to the ground. In response the policeman put his knees on his neck and back putting pressure on his neck, making it difficult for him to breathe,George Floyd continued to scream “I can’t breathe”, and many other civilians begged the policeman to lift his knees off of Floyd’s neck. However, they continued their actions until George Floyd went unconscious. Even after George Floyd went unconscious, it wasn’t until the paramedics told the police officer to take his knee off Floyd’s neck that he got off of George Floyd. George Floyd went into a cardiac arrest and eventually it was announced that George Floyd was dead later that afternoon. In response to Floyd’s death, people in Minneapolis were enraged, beginning to protest, loot, and riot. Eventually, this led to more cities joining the cause and eventually involved many athletes, celebrities, and politicians to join the cause, as well. Due to the murder of George Floyd, I believe people will not stop until they see change. Many protests occur even to this day. Some are peaceful, some are chaotic. However, peaceful or violent, all protests send the same message of racial equality for the black community and justice for the fallen victims of police brutality. Change for the better of the people, and the country is necessary in these times and, personally, it disgusts me that there even has to be riots and protests for basic human rights to be preserved.
Overall, Cultural Revolutions impact many societies and nations. Cultural Revolutions enforce changes and demand it. In China’s case, the Cultural Revolution negatively impacted the people and the nation, occurring only to secure Mao’s power and eliminate anyone who opposed. However in America, today, the Cultural Revolution occurring is for the better. The Cultural Revolution is in favor of the power of the people, as we demand change for racial equality and justice for African-American victims of police brutality.