In what ways could the Hundred Flowers movement be considered a turning point in Mao’s China?
The Hundred Flowers undoubtedly had a less significant impact than other events considered turning points in Mao’s China such as the establishment of the PRC, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, but it did still have a notable impact on various areas of Chinese life, particularly in the short term.
Politically, the Hundred Flowers movement had a significant part to play in the purging of the party. In the spirit of ‘letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend’ to allow the progress of science and society, intellectuals, party members and even the public were encouraged to speak out with any criticisms of the party. This policy fitted with the rather pragmatic approach taken by the CCP in the early years of its rule in order to transform itself from a revolutionary group to a legitimate organised government capable of ruling a country as vast and diverse as China. A later change of policy by Mao led to the great political legacy of the Hundred Flowers movement, as he placed a quota of 5% of intellectuals who had spoken out to be arrested and imprisoned so as to ensure he was cleansing the country of rightists and counter-revolutionaries. 43% of all court cases in 1958 were about alleged counter-revolutionary activities and 550,000 intellectuals were arrested.
There was also significant social change following the Hundred Flowers movement. At first the people kept to relatively mild and moderate discussion but as they grew in confidence expressed more radical dissent. The call for public discussion recalled the values of the earlier May 4th Movement. The expression of dissatisfaction the CCP peaked with 86 strikes in Shanghai in 1956, showing the disapproval of the proletariat the CCP theoretically represented. However, following the same reversal of policy that led to the arrest of intellectuals, those who orchestrated strikes were taken away while their comrades who remained became fearful and ceased to continue
Politically, the Hundred Flowers movement had a significant part to play in the purging of the party. In the spirit of ‘letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend’ to allow the progress of science and society, intellectuals, party members and even the public were encouraged to speak out with any criticisms of the party. This policy fitted with the rather pragmatic approach taken by the CCP in the early years of its rule in order to transform itself from a revolutionary group to a legitimate organised government capable of ruling a country as vast and diverse as China. A later change of policy by Mao led to the great political legacy of the Hundred Flowers movement, as he placed a quota of 5% of intellectuals who had spoken out to be arrested and imprisoned so as to ensure he was cleansing the country of rightists and counter-revolutionaries. 43% of all court cases in 1958 were about alleged counter-revolutionary activities and 550,000 intellectuals were arrested.
There was also significant social change following the Hundred Flowers movement. At first the people kept to relatively mild and moderate discussion but as they grew in confidence expressed more radical dissent. The call for public discussion recalled the values of the earlier May 4th Movement. The expression of dissatisfaction the CCP peaked with 86 strikes in Shanghai in 1956, showing the disapproval of the proletariat the CCP theoretically represented. However, following the same reversal of policy that led to the arrest of intellectuals, those who orchestrated strikes were taken away while their comrades who remained became fearful and ceased to continue