---
title: "Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution — Definition & Meaning"
description: "The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was a political movement by Mao Zedong in 1966 aimed at purging capitalist elements from Chinese society."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/great-proletarian-cultural-revolution"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was a mass political movement launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 to purge capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society and reassert his ideological control.
- When did the Cultural Revolution begin and end?
- What were the Red Guards and the 'Four Olds'?
- How did the CCP officially assess the Cultural Revolution?
- Why is the Cultural Revolution significant for understanding modern China?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In August 1966, Red Guards in Beijing, encouraged by Mao Zedong at a mass rally in Tiananmen Square, ransacked temples and homes to destroy the "Four Olds," inaugurating a decade of nationwide political violence.

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