The Cultural Revolution, 1966–1976 (A-level only) key terms

Red Guards

Youth groups mobilized by Mao during the Cultural Revolution to challenge authority and promote revolutionary ideals.

Four Olds

Refers to old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas that Mao sought to eradicate during the Cultural Revolution.

Four Olds

Old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas that the Red Guards sought to eliminate during the Cultural Revolution.

Gang of Four

A political faction led by Jiang Qing that played a significant role in the Cultural Revolution and was later blamed for its excesses.

Cultural Revolution

A sociopolitical movement in China from 1966 to 1976 aimed at preserving communist ideology by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society.

Red Guards

Militant youth groups formed during the Cultural Revolution that were tasked with enforcing Maoist ideology and attacking perceived enemies of the state.

Mao Zedong

The founding father of the People's Republic of China and the Chairman of the Communist Party from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976.

Four Olds

Refers to old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas that the Cultural Revolution sought to eradicate in order to promote a new socialist culture.