# 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:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mao-inflict-the-horrors-of-the-cultural-revolution-on-china/798734/4 "2017-10-13T16:00:30Z")

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He wanted to keep his cred against rival up-and-comers.

If a country has a light-headed, erratic, conceited, garrulous, crafty semi-loon as chosen leader, they must expect interesting times.

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