Relationship Between Mao And Red Guards

2 Pages 577 Words

Authorities’ suppression on people under authority causes rebellions against them. In the late times of the Cultural Revolution this processes were a bit different. Mao was the leader of the Revolution; however Red Guards rebel against him at the end. When the relations between Mao and the Red Guards broke down, the Cultural Revolution started to break down at the end of the Cultural Revolution. To understand better this situation, the reasons why the relationship between Mao and Red Guards came to an end will be explained.
One of the main reasons is Mao’s bad management on Red Guards that caused the break down in relations at the end of the Cultural Revolution. At the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, Mao was a hero for Red Guards, because of the fact that Mao created them. The Red Guards was formed with young people all over the country. This young population was unemployed, poor and was just looking for their basic needs. Their hero, Mao gave them a job and protected them from disappearing in this bloody revolution. Nevertheless, they became an extensive power in a short period. They started to destroy the four olds- old customs, old habits, old culture and old thinking- with the command of Mao. However they continued destroying everything wildly with considering anything. Mao could not manage this power correctly, and at least they broke off the rope that Mao was holding in his hands. Then Mao, with the help of the army, subdued the Red Guards in 1968. After that, Red Guards were confused with Mao’s behaviour. As a result, Mao’s unbalanced behaviour caused a break down between him and his favourite Red Guards (Smitha, 2001, p.5).
The other main reason is Red Guard’s selfish acts which made them to think themselves as heroes. After Mao gathered young people and gave them an identity as Red Guards, they supposed that they were the only and most important force for the Cultural Revolution. They acted with no responsibi...