Mao Zedong initiated the Hundred Flowers campaign in 1957, encouraging people, including Communist Party members, to openly criticize the government's policies. He used the slogan, "Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend." However, when the criticism became overwhelming, even aimed at Mao himself, the campaign was halted and replaced with an "anti-rightist" movement. Cue the U-turn! 🔄

• Background: Setting the Stage
  • 1956: Mao said it's time for more "freedom of expression" because the People's Republic of China (PRC) is stable.
  • 1957: Officially starts the Hundred Flowers campaign.
  • 📚 Real-world example: Imagine you're a parent (Mao) and tell your kids (the people) that they can now freely express how they feel about your parenting skills. You think you're doing a great job and expect praises but...
• Initial Hesitation
  • Fear: People were scared to criticize initially.
  • 🎈 Real-world example: It's like when a teacher asks, "Any questions?" and everyone avoids eye contact because they're scared of looking dumb or challenging the teacher.
• The Floodgates Open
  • Complaints: Soon, criticisms flooded in against corruption, inefficiency, and unrealistic policies.
  • Mild Criticism of Mao: Even the big man himself wasn't spared.
  • 🎮 Real-world example: Imagine you made a video game and asked for feedback. People started pointing out all the bugs, poor graphics, and story loopholes. Some even say they liked the tutorial better than the main game (Ouch!).