1956-66 Pre-Cultural Revolution period and Mao’s lack of self-criticism

Year 2018, Volume: 8 Issue: 15, 1734 - 1748, 31.08.2018

Hasan Gönder

https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.419245

Abstract

The Cultural Revolution
was one of the greatest destructions that world history has ever witnessed.
According to Frank Dikötter, a notable historian, ‘it was about loss, loss of
trust, loss of friendship, loss of faith in other human beings, loss of
predictability in social relationships. And that really is the mark that the
Cultural Revolution left behind.’ The Cultural Revolution was a period during
which children aged between 12 and 14 would call themselves ‘Red Guards’ and
carry out all manner of violence in the streets as Mao’s soldiers. In fact,
there was no power in the country that could stop these individuals.
Nevertheless, it is worth emphasising that the Cultural Revolution was not the
result of spontaneous destruction.  In
this study, the socio-political and cultural events that took place during the
period from 1956 to 1967 in China will be examined, and the factors that caused
the cultural revolution will be investigated. As a result of this study, it is
understood that the greatest factor which led to the formation of the Cultural
Revolution was the lack of self-criticism associated with Mao.

Keywords

Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong, Self-Criticism, Hundred Flowers Period, Intellectuals

1956-66 Kültür Devrimi Öncesi Dönem ve Mao'nun Öz Eleştiri Eksikliği

Abstract

Kültür Devrimi, dünya tarihinin
tanık olduğu en büyük tahribatlardan biriydi. Saygın tarihçi Frank Dikötter'e
göre bu, ‘kaybetme, güven kaybetme, arkadaşlık kaybetme, diğer insanlara olan
inancı kaybetme, sosyal ilişkilerde öngörülebilirliği kaybetme ile ilgiliydi.
Ve bu gerçekten de Kültür Devrimi'nin geride bıraktığı işarettir.' Kültür
Devrimi, 12 ila 14 yaş arasındaki çocukların kendilerine “Kızıl Muhafızlar”
dedikleri ve Mao'nun askerleri olarak sokaklarda her türlü şiddet eylemini
gerçekleştirdikleri bir dönemdi. Aslında tüm ülkede bu bireyleri durdurabilecek
hiçbir güç yoktu. Buna rağmen, Kültür Devrimi'nin kendiliğinden gelen bir
yıkımın sonucu olmadığını vurgulamak zorundayız. Bu çalışmada, Çin'de 1956'dan
1967'ye kadar olan süreçte ortaya çıkan sosyo-politik ve kültürel olaylar
incelenecek ve kültür devrimine neden olan etkenler üzerinde durulacaktır. Bu
çalışmanın sonucu, Kültür Devrimi'nin ortaya çıkmasına yol açan en büyük
etkenin Mao ile ilişkilendirilen öz eleştiri eksikliği olduğunu ortaya
koymaktadır.

Keywords

Kültür Devrimi, Mao Zedong, Öz-Eleştiri, Yüz Çiçek Dönemi, Entelektüeller

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