AWqm

1. This particular quote, in my opinion, accounts for all the violence and bloodshed in the Cultural Revolution. I can guess that people took this passage to heart and wreaked havoc thinking that violence is the only way to reform the country. Mao probably didn't mean for such chaos to happen. He probably just meant that force is a necessary element to a revolution, which is quite true, but Chinese students used violence to overthrow other unrelated things such as teachers, schools, and eventually all authorities. The Chinese people took Mao's quote to an extreme level.

2. Mao opposed imperialism because a superior country would take over weak ones, but everyone, every country is the same in communist point of view. The equality in class extends to the equality of the countries, and no country is better than the other. "It is the task of the people of the whole world to put an end to the aggression and oppression perpetrated by imperialism..." This quote shows that he also wanted communism to spread over the world so that everyone would be equal. Mao's was against U.S. because U.S. was a powerful country, and U.S. used it power to take over other countries.

3. Adding onto the first quote, death is inevitable especially since a revolution is violent; it is not some kind of "dinner party" or "painting a picture." Therefore, there needs to be sacrifice of lives for the good of revolution and the majority of the people. Mao seems to glorify such death for the revolutionary cause and justify the killing of counterrevolutionaries for the good of the state. At the same time, however, there shouldn't be unnecessary deaths. This quote would have encouraged people to die for their country.

4. Because communism emphasized equality among the masses, Mao also wanted to promote equality in the Chinese society. One's gender, age, or financial status shouldn't be what determines his or her class because there is no class in communism. You can see an example of this in how Mao's wife also took power in the communist state along with other men. Mao also wanted poor people to have the same opportunity in learning as those who are better off. He also valued young people and their energy for change.

7. Mao thought that young people were the ones to move the Cultural Revolution forward. Because so many of the protesters were students, there were a lot of rashness due to their youthfulness and immaturity. Their youthfulness made them quick to obey all of Mao's quotes in the "Little Red Book" and do what it said. Despite the youth's lack of thought, Mao supported them since they were quick to take action and heartily obeyed radical communist ideas. In groups, they were able to move even the adults.