China's Cultural Revolution and the making of Xi Jinping | DW News

Key Concepts

• Cultural Revolution: A decade-long (1966–1976) socio-political movement in China initiated by Mao Zedong to purge capitalist and traditional elements.
• Political Purge: The systematic removal of individuals from positions of power, often accompanied by public humiliation and detention.
• Re-education: The process of sending urban youth or intellectuals to rural areas for manual labor to align their thinking with communist ideology.
• Centralization of Authority: The consolidation of power within a single leader or the core of the Communist Party to ensure stability.
• Grassroots Political Career: Starting one's political ascent from the lowest administrative levels (e.g., village level).

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The Formative Impact of the Cultural Revolution

The trajectory of Xi Jinping’s leadership is deeply rooted in the trauma and instability of the Cultural Revolution, launched by Mao Zedong in May 1966. This period of intense political turmoil served as the crucible for Xi’s political philosophy.

• Family Persecution: Xi’s father, a senior Communist Party official, was a victim of the purges. He suffered public humiliation, physical abuse, and detention. Furthermore, official accounts indicate that one of Xi’s sisters was persecuted to death during this era.
• Rural Exile: At a young age, Xi was sent to the countryside for seven years of manual labor and "re-education." Living in extreme poverty, Xi later reflected that this period provided him with a "firm goal in life" and instilled a sense of profound confidence.

Political Philosophy and Governance Style

Xi’s early life experiences directly inform his current approach to governance, characterized by a focus on discipline, ideological purity, and the centralization of power.

• Aversion to Disorder: Xi’s primary takeaway from the chaos of the 1960s is that political disorder is an existential threat. He maintains a firm belief that only a strong, unified Communist Party can prevent the country from descending into anarchy.
• Policy Implementation: This worldview manifests in his signature policies, such as aggressive anti-corruption campaigns and the systematic consolidation of authority. By purging potential dissenters and enforcing strict ideological adherence, Xi mirrors the party’s need for control that he witnessed during his youth.

Career Trajectory: From Exile to Leadership

Despite the party’s role in his family’s suffering, Xi chose to join the Communist Party and began his political ascent at the grassroots level in the remote village of Liangjiahe.

• Strategic Ascent: By starting at the bottom, Xi demonstrated a commitment to the party structure, eventually rising through the ranks to become China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.
• The Irony of Power: The narrative highlights a significant historical irony: the boy who was once a victim of Mao’s political campaigns has evolved into a leader who utilizes similar mechanisms of centralized control to maintain his own grip on power.

Synthesis and Conclusion

Xi Jinping’s leadership style is not merely a product of political ambition but a direct response to the instability he experienced during the Cultural Revolution. His emphasis on unity, discipline, and the prevention of chaos serves as a defensive mechanism against the political volatility that destroyed his family’s status. By centralizing authority, Xi seeks to ensure that the party remains the sole, unchallenged arbiter of order in China, effectively transforming the trauma of his youth into the foundation of his current political mandate.