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Keywords

Hundred Flowers Policy, Mao Zedong, Chinese Communist Party

Abstract

As the year 1956 dawned, the People's Republic of China (PRC) was at a crossroads. After a mere six years in power, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had successfully consolidated its control of mainland China, stabilized and reformed the economy, won the hearts of the peasants through land redistribution, fought the United States to a standstill in Korea, and silenced dissent through re-education campaigns. However, questions began to arise over where to go from there. To the surprise of many, at this moment of the Party's uncertainty, Mao Zedong began to push for greater openness to critical voices. Known as the "Hundred Flowers Campaign" after the slogan Mao used to describe it, this policy began in 1956 as a slight loosening of restrictions on China's educated classes. By the early summer of 1957, it had grown to an all but mandatory call for intellectuals to criticize the CCP and help "rectify" its "working style." But after only six weeks of heady protest and dissent (including much that called for the removal of the CCP from power), Mao and the Party reversed course, announced a new "Anti-Rightist Campaign," and repressed those who had spoken out.

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