1 Feb 1957 Jahr - Hundred Flowers campaign launched

Beschreibung:

- "Let a hundred flowers blossom, let a hundred schools of thought contend"

- A campaign launched by Mao with the purpose of encouraging positive constructive criticism of the party and their policies

- Called the intellectuals, such as artists, writers, and scientists to criticise the regime

- Initially the people were afraid of voicing their opinions

- After a while, the people began to criticise China's political corruption, censorship, low living standards for majority, party cadre's privileged lifestyle, etc. Named the "rightists"

- Campaign abandoned in June

- Anti-Rightist campaign launched in July, headed by Deng Xiaoping

- Mao estimated that 10% of people were rightists, officials misunderstood and believed they needed to find 10 rightist in 100 people

- Between 500,000-700,00 people sent to the country for labour reform

- After the de-Stalinisation, Mao takes less active position in Chinese affairs for fear of being compared to Stalin
- The campaign possibly launched to invite criticism in order to avoid being compared to Stalin

Two historical perspectives arise:
- Mao was surprised by all the negative and non-constructive feedback received, and therefore abandoned the plan and attacked the opposition

- Mao had the intention of eliminating the rightists by letting them expose themselves and then moving against them