Why were intellectual class of China persecuted during the Cultural Revolution?
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) was just like an earthquake, devastating the country with brutality and no apparent logic. During a decade Mao sent the idealistic youth to attack and destroy every element of the society. The social, religious, political, economical structures were in chaos. It has been long an enigma for foreigners as well as young Chinese and a trauma for the older generation. How was this possible during the twentieth century? Some believe that Mao was a paranoid, who suspected that intellectuals were the greatest threat to his and Communist Party hegemony and monopoly. Eastern Europe theatre’s happenings may also have played a part. Stalin, the hardline leader of Russia and the Communist world, died in 1953. He was followed by the more moderate Khruschev. Khruschev eased the repression but this led to demands for more freedom and in Hungary led to revolts. Russia sent in tanks to crush the rebellions Mao might have suspected that similar situat
