# Why did Mao inflict the horrors of the Cultural Revolution on China?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mao-inflict-the-horrors-of-the-cultural-revolution-on-china/798734>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 13, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mao-inflict-the-horrors-of-the-cultural-revolution-on-china/798734 "2017-10-13T15:40:05Z")\
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**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mao-inflict-the-horrors-of-the-cultural-revolution-on-china/798734/10 "2017-10-13T23:23:01Z")

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> [@Evan\_Drake](#):
>
> If a country has a light-headed, erratic, conceited, garrulous, crafty semi-loon as chosen leader, they must expect interesting times.

Fortunately, world civilization has evolved since then, and we have no world leaders like that today.

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