The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

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The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution targeted the intellectuals Mao distrusted, as he believed they were promoting elitism and capitalism. The movement sought to reassert Maoist values and undo any remnants of capitalist or revisionist tendencies. This led to widespread persecution of intellectuals, many of whom were sent to labor camps or publicly humiliated. The burning of books was also a part of this movement, as certain texts were seen as promoting revisionism or capitalist thought. The movement lasted from 1966-1976, far longer than one five-year term. While it did result in a reduction in bureaucracy in some cases, its primary goal was to promote Maoism and suppress dissent. There is no evidence to suggest that it provided funds for poor peasants' children to attend university.