Abstract
‘The Cultural Revolution: it's right to rebel’ examines Mao's attempt to reform Chinese society. Mao mobilized the country's youth against anyone in authority who was deemed to be taking the capitalist road. These Red Guards ransacked towns and villages weeding out bourgeois influences. Whilst they were supposedly non-violent, many splinter groups engaged in conflict, and radicals used the organization to settle old scores. Mao eventually disbanded the Red Guards, sending the now undereducated youths to the countryside for rural education. Mao's Cultural Revolution was seen as a great success. However, idealism had been replaced with fearful compliance, and Mao was more isolated than ever.
