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The Expansion of its Impact (1967 to 1968)
At Chinese Embassies
And it was not only China that was affected by the Cultural Revolution, Chinese embassies and students in foreign countries were affected as well. Chinese students shouted "Beat the Revisionists in Moscow" and clashed violently against the army and police of the Soviet Union. The Chinese diplomacy dropped into total chaos, more than has ever been the case. Mao said about those days to Edgar Snow; "Especially July and August 1967 were terrible. Society fell into disorder".
In Economy
In 1967, the industrial and agricultural index decreased by 9.6% over the previous year, and that of 1968 was 4.2% less than 1967. Above all, the loss of politicians, free thought, in the life of the people and their possession was uncountable. But we have to remember that many communists made an effort to protect production by not giving up their work. Peasants continued their work to provide food for the people.
Revolutionary Committees
Since the take over of power in Shanghai in January 1967 the battle for power had been continued everywhere in China, and twenty nine Revolutionary Committees had been established by September 1968. That meant that work of the Cultural Revolution taking over local authorities was in effect completed. There was a great deal of media coverage praising the establishment of so many Revolutionary Committees as the activity of the Revolution advanced along the steps of battle, criticism and reform.
The CCP was the main power heading the work of the revolution, so without the direction of the Party the unity could not be achieved. Against the power of the CCP, Mao said to the people "Boycott the party committees, " throwing the organisation of each level into confusion and stopped the work of many party members. But he was forced to depend on the organised power of the CCP in order to achieve his personal goal, "confusion of society". On the other hand, it was also one of the important problems for Mao that the party organisation shouldn't return to normal before the Cultural Revolution was complete. Holding CCP plenary meetings and the National Party Congress was necessary for that.
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