Analysis Of The Elements Of The Formation Of Personal Cult During "the Cultural Revolution"

The ten-year internal disorder caused by the"cultural revolution"brought great damage to the Chinese nation, while personal cult constitutes an important reason that triggered and sustained the"cultural revolution". This thesis analyzes the formative elements of personal cult during the"cultural revolution"from the perspective of politics and culture, which constitutes an important reference for the construction of socialism politics and culture.The expectation for wise lord, royalism, political dependence and worship of power in the traditional political value formed the historical origins for the formation of personal cult. The"savior"complex of the ordinary people and the highly uniform recognition of authority within the CPC constituted the social psychological foundation of the formation of personal cult. The distorted meritocracy orientation, such as connivance and appreciation of personal cult by Mao Zedong, and the promotion of and catering to personal cult by people like Lin Biao, made personal cult the mainstream politics and culture.The unique means of political socialization in the"cultural revolution"constituted another element for the formation and development of personal cult. The powerful mass media guided the public who lacked the sense of political independence into this movement, and controlled the public opinion. Visualized political signs, including songs of quotations, the Red Guard dance, and badge of Chairman Mao, which were easily comprehended and accepted by the public, played an effective part in facilitating personal cult. Schooling, as an important way of political socialization, under the guidance of"politics goes first in education", became a tool of indoctrinating distorted political and cultural value, and of activating their original passive politics and culture. Mao Zedong wrote in person to the Red Guard to support their rebellion, massively received the Red Guard and college and middle school teachers and students, and openly called them to conduct super-conventional political practice like nationwide mass associating, which lead to the sharp elevation of personal cult.This research on the elements of formation of personal cult in"cultural revolution"from the perspective of politics and culture brings about great enlightenment: to eradicate the soil for personal cult, firstly, the authority of law and system should be enhanced; secondly, reform and opening-up should be sped up, and market economy and democracy should be developed; thirdly, the transition of traditional politics and culture should be promoted; fourthly, civil education should be enhanced and civil culture should be cultivated.