So what would have taken for the 1976 coup-something against the Gang of Four? And what would the effects of a continuing rule by the four have on China and the world?
It's actually not going to be as bad as people generally think it's going to beSo what would have taken for the 1976 coup-something against the Gang of Four? And what would the effects of a continuing rule by the four have on China and the world?
Jiang Qing is not gonna be in charge if the gang takes power, it's going to be Wang HongwanThe Gang will not pursue rapprochement. Jiang Qing was in many ways, far more radical, egotistic and ideologically driven than Mao was. And that's saying something. China will at worst become a xenophobic, isolationist hermit kingdom much like North Korea (which is bound to fall apart at some point, given it’s size and Jiang Qing’s lack of an heir); or at best have the Gang be overthrown in a bloodless coup once Jiang Qing dies/ is disposed by saner influences in the party.
I agree with most of that, but are you sure Mao would allow Deng to take power in any way? Deng and Liu Shaoqi after all opposed Mao in the Cultural Revolution.The gang of four was never in charge btw, and Mao never intended them to be in charge because he knew that they were idiots and bad at managing the country
The plan was always to have the party old guard (and maybe Deng) to manage the country and for the gang to secure his ideological legacy and make sure that the cultural revolution is never talked about as a mistake. While Hua Guofeng and his people serve as mediators between the radicals and the old guard.
Deng -didn't- oppose Mao during the cultural revolution because he was purged very, very early on, no he wouldn't have wanted Deng in position as overall leader of the country. But there were more alternatives than Deng and the GoF tooI agree with most of that, but are you sure Mao would allow Deng to take power in any way? Deng and Liu Shaoqi after all opposed Mao in the Cultural Revolution.
Wow. Never knew the gang of four were mirrors.The gang of four was never in charge btw, and Mao never intended them to be in charge because he knew that they were idiots and bad at managing the country
Either that or something like Lin Biao surviving and is seriously ill by 1976 so he becomes leader of China but is unable to exercise much control.So the best way to keep China being Maoist to an extent without going full totalitarian post-1976 is to have Wang Hongwan be the leader of China?
I read China After Mao and it's a pretty good TL though it doesn't seem finished as of now; and I too like to try out something where China doesn't get Deng but I can't seem to find much info about the otherthrow of the Gang of Four.Either that or something like Lin Biao surviving and is seriously ill by 1976 so he becomes leader of China but is unable to exercise much control.
Someone actually wrote a really good TL (China after Mao: a cat of a different color) in which Wang does become the leader of China, but end up losing control over the failure of the Sino-Vietnamese war
prolonged radicalism after 1976 is probably not gonna happen: the main reason being that both the party and society at large was tired of the constant cycles of purge and chaos that the cultural revolution represented. Even those who rose on the back of the CR (i.e Hua Guofang) didn't want to end up being purged in the next cycle. As long as a leader like Mao is alive and (somewhat) well the CR could continue at a lower pace. But it was gonna end at some point after he dies, whatever the gang of four does.
Read the last part of Mao's last revolution by Michael Schoenhals and Roderick MacFarquhar, it goes into quite a bit of detailI read China After Mao and it's a pretty good TL though it doesn't seem finished as of now; and I too like to try out something where China doesn't get Deng but I can't seem to find much info about the otherthrow of the Gang of Four.
Thanks, though I'm referring to the POD regarding China After Mao or does that book count?Read the last part of Mao's last revolution by Michael Schoenhals and Roderick MacFarquhar, it goes into quite a bit of detail
Yes, the POD in China after Mao basically amounted to Jiang Qing does not go to the late night politburo meeting in which the GoF got arrested, I think the book goes into as much detail into the immediate power plays and moves as we are going to know at the moment.Thanks, though I'm referring to the POD regarding China After Mao or does that book count?