Extract from a speech given by Jiang Qing (here anglicised as Chiang Ching), wife of Mao and deputy director of the Central Cultural Revolution Group, to two revolutionary groups in Anhui. 5 September, 1967. Catalogue ref: FO 1110/2319
Transcript
Chiang Ching Speech of 5 September, 1967 to Representatives of mass organisations in Anhwei Province
Following is the text of Chiang Ching’s speech to representatives of the two main revolutionary grops in Anhwei.
“I reckon that the situation of the Cultural Revolution throughout the whole country is excellent. Of course if you look at the situation in isolation in some individual areas don’t you feel that it is rather serious, but in fact this is not so. We should look at the situation as a whole and from the historical point of view there is a great difference between the situation this time last year and the present time. This time last year those in authority in the Party going the capitalist road and their minions in the Provinces had a certain amount of freedom of action. Now they are paralysed and have been overthrown by revolutionary young generals. The fact that they are paralysed is no bad thing because the “small handful” cannot move. Some areas have set up Revolutionary Committees. At present the Central Committee is solving the problems in one Province after another and in one city after another. From last year to this year there has been a big change in the situation and we are carrying on the large-scale criticism of the top person. We are not gradually expanding this criticism throughout the whole country and we should open fire on the top person on each front and thoroughly criticise him and make him stink. You must do this so that every household knows of it, so that he will stink even more than Trotsky in the Soviet Union. In this way China will never change colour.
At present we do not want clashes. In clashes people always get hurt and bad elements smash up State property. Why do they want to harm State property? On the question of “a peaceful response to an armed attack” we should not forget the class content nor lose sight of the circumstances and the conditions. When you return both sides should “resist by peaceful means” and put out an olive branch and not go round waving cudgels.
To sum it all up, I feel that the situation is excellent. We have tempered the young people and tempered the young generals, tempered the revolutionary cadres and tempered the older generation.
In some areas the situation is complicated but this is quite normal. Besides it is also rather uneven but this again is perfectly normal. In general the situation is developing favourably. To ensure this you need certain factors. These are the leadership of the Central Committee headed by Chairman Mao. This is the most important aspect. You also need the pillar of the proletarian dictatorship, the People’s Liberation Army, to protect the proletarian Cultural Revolution. It is essential to set up gradually local Revolutionary Committees and get on with revolutionary alliances and revolutionary triple alliances so that we can carry out struggle, criticism and reform and coordinate the large-scale criticism movement throughout the whole country.
These sources are evaluations of the Cultural Revolution from different perspectives: the Chinese Communist Party (Source 4a), British government officials (Source 4b), and countries around the world (Source 4c). (It’s useful to note that all of these perspectives were translated and selected by British government sources.) Look through each piece of evidence and form your opinion to answer the question: did the Cultural Revolution achieve its aims?
- How would you describe the language and tone of Jiang Qing, speech (Source 4a)?
- How does she justify a ‘proletarian dictatorship’?
- How does this explain her view on the Cultural Revolution?
- How do British officials describe the impact of the Cultural Revolution in Source 4b?
- Apart from economic effects of the Cultural Revolution, can you think of its possible effects on education, cultural life, and the arts?
- What are the similarities and differences in perspective from other countries on the Cultural Revolution in Source 4c?
- Do you think the Cultural Revolution was successful in achieving its aims? Give your reasons with reference to source documents found in this lesson.