CHINA-INTERNAL: IDEOLOGY - RE-EVALUATION OF MAO ZEDONG

A new edition of eighth grade Chinese history textbooks printed by the Government-owned People's Education Press carries an amended version of Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution. The original sentence read: "In the 1960s, Mao Zedong erroneously believed that there was revisionism in the Party's Central Committee and the Party and country were facing the danger of capitalist restoration. In order to prevent the restoration of capitalism, he decided to launch the Cultural Revolution." In the new edition the textbook the wording is: "In the mid 1960s, Mao Zedong believed that the Party and the country were facing the danger of capitalist restoration. To this end, he emphasised 'taking class struggle as the key' and trying to prevent it by launching the 'Cultural Revolution'. In the summer of 1966, the 'Cultural Revolution' was in full play." 

(Comment: The amendment suggests a revision of Mao's role and culpability for the Cultural Revolution. It could also be setting the stage for justification of steps being taken by Xi Jinping.) 






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