Alternate "cultural" revolution?

[lounge60]

What if Mao had launched a different "cultural revolution",that was the 60s equivalent of Chinese revolution of 90s: the socialist market economy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_market_economy) ( or "socialism with Chinese characteristics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism_with_Chinese_characteristics) )?
What effects on Soviet Union and on Vietnam war?

[Son of Songun]

If for some strange reason this happens, the PRC will be split from all major and minor socialist countries. I imagine there will be lots of resistance from the people and party, people like Lin Biao will have their opportunities to try getting into power.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lin_Biao)

[jaybird]

Erm...quick history lesson.

Post-Great Leap Forward Into The Frying Pan, Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping WERE bringing China out of Maoism and reforming the economy towards market socialism. They managed to do this because of the thorough job Mao did of blackening his own name and reducing his cult of personality. Basically, it WAS what happened...until the Cultural Revolution kicked off.

Now, a better PoD for this would be in the 50s, where Mao starts heading back to the center at the time of OTL Great Leap Forward instead of taking a corner to the left and off the cliff. Come Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy is overjoyed at the thought of China leaning towards the US. He may well trade Chiang for North Korea. Vietnam...unknown. That would really depend on Ho Chi Minh's call.