Mao’s Lost Generation: Youth, Ideology, and the Cultural Revolution

2026-02-06

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In this episode of Explaining History, Nick continues his exploration of the Chinese Cultural Revolution through the lens of Tania Branigan's Red Memory. We examine Mao Zedong's complex relationship with the youth of China—how he mobilized them as revolutionary shock troops, only to discard them when they became a threat to order.We delve into the "Down to the Countryside" movement, where 17 million urban teenagers were sent to remote villages to "learn from the peasants." Nick explores the ideological motivations behind this mass displacement: M...

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick continues his exploration of the Chinese Cultural Revolution through the lens of Tania Branigan's Red Memory. We examine Mao Zedong's complex relationship with the youth of China—how he mobilized them as revolutionary shock troops, only to discard them when they became a threat to order.

We delve into the "Down to the Countryside" movement, where 17 million urban teenagers were sent to remote villages to "learn from the peasants." Nick explores the ideological motivations behind this mass displacement: Mao's belief that the younger generation was being softened by "sugar-coated bullets" of bourgeois comfort and needed to be re-forged through hard labour.

From the boredom that followed the initial revolutionary fervour to the lasting trauma (and surprising nostalgia) of the "sent-down youth," this episode unpacks the human cost of Mao's permanent revolution.

Plus: A recap of our first masterclass and details on the upcoming session on Post-War America (1945-74) on February 15th!

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Key Topics:

The Red Guards: From revolutionary zeal to boredom and disillusionment.
Down to the Countryside: Why Mao sent 17 million teenagers to live with peasants.
Ideological purity: The fear of "revisionism" and the need for constant struggle.
Memory and Trauma: How the "lost generation" reconciles their past with modern China.

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