Movement in China from 1966-1976 that purged capitalist and traditional elements and solidified Mao's leadership?

• A. Great Leap Forward
• B. Red Guard Movement
• C. Cultural Revolution
• D. Long March

Answer: (C)

The movement aimed to revitalize Communist ideology by wiping out elements considered capitalist, traditional, or anti-Maoist, and it sought to restore Mao Zedong’s central authority over the party and the country. From 1966 to 1976, mass campaigns mobilized students and workers, urging them to criticize and purge perceived enemies of Maoist thought. The “Four Olds”—old customs, culture, habits, and ideas—were targeted, leading to widespread social upheaval, attacks on intellectuals, and the reeducation of millions. Although groups like the Red Guards played a visible role in the upheaval, the broader nationwide effort was the Cultural Revolution itself, a campaign designed to solidify Mao’s leadership and reshape Chinese society around his vision. The other options refer to different events or periods: the Great Leap Forward occurred earlier and was an economic campaign, not a purge-and-power-molidation drive; the Long March was a much earlier communist retreat; and the Red Guards were a force within the Cultural Revolution, not its separate name.