Ding, Ding, Ding! 🛎️ Class is in session, future historians! Sit back and grab some popcorn (or your favorite study snack) because we're diving into the juicy details of Mao Zedong's role in the Cultural Revolution and the dramatic downfall of Lin Biao.

• Mao Wants Control but No Bad Press: Mao launched the Cultural Revolution but then played the backseat driver. Why? Because he wanted to get rid of his rivals and "class enemies" but didn't want to tarnish his self-styled image as China's superhero.
• Remote Control Politics: Mao often hung out away from Beijing, delegating the nitty-gritty to Jiang Qing and her squad. Imagine it like a CEO leaving daily operations to middle management.

Real-world Example

Think about how a popular YouTuber may not be involved in the day-to-day editing or social media but still sets the overall tone for the channel. They still own the channel and bear responsibility for it. The same goes for Mao; he's still responsible for what happened.

• "More Maoist than Mao": Sometimes, the Cultural Revolution went even further than Mao intended. He even joked that Jiang Qing and the Gang of Four were "more Maoist" than he was.
• The Buck Stops with Mao: Despite taking a step back, Mao is still responsible. Everything was done in his name.

Real-world Example

It's like if you planned a house party and then went to chill in your room, letting your friends manage the chaos downstairs. If they trash the place, it's still on you, buddy, because it's your house and your party.