Vejas Liulevicius

He exclaimed that perhaps by 1961, perhaps by 1973, China would be the winner in this competition, and it would have achieved full communism. So that which Marx had sketched as the endpoint of humanity would be achieved first by the Chinese. Later, his own comrades, when he passed from the scene, felt the need to temper that a

Such promises are helpful to a regime to create enthusiasm and to hold out to people the prospect of real successes just around the corner. But what happens when the date arrives and you haven't actually achieved that goal? That's one ticking time bomb that played a role in the increasing erosion of confidence in the Soviet Union. And the case of China must have been something similar.

Such promises are helpful to a regime to create enthusiasm and to hold out to people the prospect of real successes just around the corner. But what happens when the date arrives and you haven't actually achieved that goal? That's one ticking time bomb that played a role in the increasing erosion of confidence in the Soviet Union. And the case of China must have been something similar.

Such promises are helpful to a regime to create enthusiasm and to hold out to people the prospect of real successes just around the corner. But what happens when the date arrives and you haven't actually achieved that goal? That's one ticking time bomb that played a role in the increasing erosion of confidence in the Soviet Union. And the case of China must have been something similar.

The Hundred Flowers Campaign is a chance for Mao, who has felt that he has lost prestige and lost standing in the party because of the disasters of the Great Leap Forward, to regain some of that momentum. And the whole Hundred Flowers campaign, officially titled the Rectification Campaign to Set Things Right, is still shrouded in mystery.

The Hundred Flowers Campaign is a chance for Mao, who has felt that he has lost prestige and lost standing in the party because of the disasters of the Great Leap Forward, to regain some of that momentum. And the whole Hundred Flowers campaign, officially titled the Rectification Campaign to Set Things Right, is still shrouded in mystery.

The Hundred Flowers Campaign is a chance for Mao, who has felt that he has lost prestige and lost standing in the party because of the disasters of the Great Leap Forward, to regain some of that momentum. And the whole Hundred Flowers campaign, officially titled the Rectification Campaign to Set Things Right, is still shrouded in mystery.

Historians disagree about how to interpret what Mao was actually up to. The most cynical variant is that Mao encouraged Chinese thinkers and intellectuals to share ideas and to engage in constructive criticism, to propose alternatives, and to let a full discussion happen.

Historians disagree about how to interpret what Mao was actually up to. The most cynical variant is that Mao encouraged Chinese thinkers and intellectuals to share ideas and to engage in constructive criticism, to propose alternatives, and to let a full discussion happen.

Historians disagree about how to interpret what Mao was actually up to. The most cynical variant is that Mao encouraged Chinese thinkers and intellectuals to share ideas and to engage in constructive criticism, to propose alternatives, and to let a full discussion happen.

And then, after some of them had ventured that, to come in and purge them, to punish them ruthlessly for having done what he had invited them to do. That is the most cynical variant. Some historians argue that Mao himself was not prepared for the ideas that he himself had invited into the public square and that he grew anxious and worried and angry at this idea.

And then, after some of them had ventured that, to come in and purge them, to punish them ruthlessly for having done what he had invited them to do. That is the most cynical variant. Some historians argue that Mao himself was not prepared for the ideas that he himself had invited into the public square and that he grew anxious and worried and angry at this idea.

And then, after some of them had ventured that, to come in and purge them, to punish them ruthlessly for having done what he had invited them to do. That is the most cynical variant. Some historians argue that Mao himself was not prepared for the ideas that he himself had invited into the public square and that he grew anxious and worried and angry at this idea.

without having thought this through in a cynical way to begin with, the end result is the same. The end result is, once again, negative selection. The decimation of those who are most venturesome, those who are most talented and intelligent, are punished relentlessly for that.

without having thought this through in a cynical way to begin with, the end result is the same. The end result is, once again, negative selection. The decimation of those who are most venturesome, those who are most talented and intelligent, are punished relentlessly for that.

without having thought this through in a cynical way to begin with, the end result is the same. The end result is, once again, negative selection. The decimation of those who are most venturesome, those who are most talented and intelligent, are punished relentlessly for that.

That's right. I mean, think of the impact on officials. who are loyal servants of the regime and just want to get along. The message goes out loud and clear. Don't be venturesome. Do not propose reforms. Stick with the tried and true, and that'll be the safe route, even if it ends in, ultimately, stagnation.

That's right. I mean, think of the impact on officials. who are loyal servants of the regime and just want to get along. The message goes out loud and clear. Don't be venturesome. Do not propose reforms. Stick with the tried and true, and that'll be the safe route, even if it ends in, ultimately, stagnation.

That's right. I mean, think of the impact on officials. who are loyal servants of the regime and just want to get along. The message goes out loud and clear. Don't be venturesome. Do not propose reforms. Stick with the tried and true, and that'll be the safe route, even if it ends in, ultimately, stagnation.

Mao himself had a view of human beings as being, as he put it, beautiful blank pieces of paper upon which one can write new characters. And that is clearly at variance with what you and I know about the complex nature of human beings as we actually encounter them in the world. I think that in the process of hatching schemes that were one size fits all for a country as big as