HSC Modern History: Change in the Modern World – The Cultural Revolution to Tiananmen Square (1966–1989)

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key terms, historical concepts, political factions, and major events of modern Chinese history from the Cultural Revolution to the Tiananmen Square protests (1966–1989).

Cadre

A full-time, professional revolutionary dedicated to the goals of a communist party, who works at the discretion of its leadership.

Capitalist roader

A person willing to bow to pressure from bourgeois forces and attempt to pull the Chinese Communist Revolution in a capitalist direction.

Anti-Revisionism

The maintenance of orthodox communist ideals in China and the struggle against 'revisionism', which was seen as compromising Marxist ideology.

Cult of Personality

A political environment created by a leader in authority in which they are elevated and worshipped as an infallible, godlike figure by the general population.

Cultural Revolution

A political and social movement from 1966 to 1976 launched by Mao Zedong to purge capitalist roaders, revive revolutionary fervor, and reassert his control over the CCP.

Dazibao

Large handwritten 'Big Character Posters' used in China to protest, express political ideas, denounce opponents, and spread propaganda.

De-Stalinisation

The process initiated by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in 1956 criticizing Joseph Stalin's cult of personality and regime, which alarmed Mao Zedong regarding his own legacy.

Iron rice bowl

A Chinese term referring to the state-guaranteed system of lifetime employment and cradle-to-grave welfare benefits, later dismantled under Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms.

Four Olds

The four traditional elements targeted for eradication by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution: old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits.

Four Modernisations

A national development program introduced by Zhou Enlai in 1975 and implemented by Deng Xiaoping targeting Agriculture, Industry, National Defence, and Science/Technology.

Fifth Modernisation

A concept championed by political activist Wei Jingsheng in 1978 calling for democracy to be added as an essential modernisation alongside the Four Modernisations.

Gang of Four

A radical leftist CCP Politburo faction led by Jiang Qing (along with Zhang Chunqiao, Wang Hongwen, and Yao Wenyuan) that pushed ideological purity and opposed pragmatic economic modernization.

Gerontocracy

Government rule by the elderly; a derogatory term applied by 1980s student protesters to Deng Xiaoping and aging CCP leaders.

Struggle session

Violent public spectacles during the Cultural Revolution in which individuals accused of being class enemies were publicly humiliated, abused, beaten, and forced to confess.

Permanent revolution

Mao Zedong's theoretical concept holding that the class struggle is continuous and society must undergo near-constant revolution until the full transition to communism is reached.

Red Guards

Paramilitary units of millions of students and urban youths mobilised by Mao Zedong to enforce revolutionary doctrine, attack authority figures, and destroy the Four Olds.

Three-anti campaign (1951)

An urban CCP campaign targeting government and economic administrators to eliminate corruption, waste, and bureaucratic inefficiency.

Five-anti campaign (1952)

A CCP campaign targeting the national bourgeoisie (industrialists and merchants) to combat bribery, tax evasion, fraud, theft of state property, and the leaking of state secrets.

Great Leap Forward

An economic and social initiative launched by Mao in 1958 relying on communes and mass labor mobilisation to rapidly modernise agriculture and industry, resulting in catastrophic famine.

Four Pests campaign

A Great Leap Forward mass campaign directing citizens to eradicate mosquitoes, flies, rats, and sparrows, resulting in ecological imbalance and widespread crop failure.

May 16 Notification

A 1966 circular issued to the CCP Politburo warning of bourgeois conspirators within the party and state, marking the formal commencement of the Cultural Revolution.

Central Cultural Revolution Group (CRG)

A radical committee established in May 1966 answering directly to Mao Zedong that bypassed regular CCP government bodies to direct the Cultural Revolution.

Lin Biao Incident (September 13 Incident)

The mysterious 1971 death of Mao's designated successor, Lin Biao, in a plane crash in Mongolia after an alleged failed coup against Mao.

Barefoot doctors

Paramedics and farmers given intensive six-month practical medical training to deliver basic preventative and medical healthcare in rural Chinese villages during the Cultural Revolution.

Tiananmen Incident (5 April 1976)

A spontaneous public gathering and protest in Tiananmen Square honoring the late Premier Zhou Enlai and condemning the Gang of Four, which was forcefully dispersed by police and military.

Two Whatevers

Hua Guofeng's political doctrine declaring that the CCP must resolutely uphold whatever policy decisions Chairman Mao made and unswervingly follow whatever instructions Chairman Mao gave.

Four Cardinal Principles

Deng Xiaoping's essential political boundaries outlined in 1979: keeping to the socialist road, upholding the people's democratic dictatorship, upholding CCP leadership, and adhering to Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.

Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

Designated coastal urban areas (including Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, and Xiamen) established under Deng Xiaoping permitted to utilize free-market mechanisms, flexible taxation, and foreign direct investment.

Goddess of Democracy

A 10-metre-tall plaster-and-foam statue constructed by fine arts students and unveiled in Tiananmen Square on 30 May 1989 as a symbol of the pro-democracy movement.

June Fourth Incident (1989)

The violent military assault on 3–4 June 1989 in which the PLA used tanks and live ammunition to crush student-led pro-democracy demonstrations in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square.