Suicides during the Cultural Revolution: A Cultural Sociology Perspective

Fei Yan, Tsinghua University

Understanding how authoritarian states account for unnatural deaths is crucial for comprehending their discursive strategies to sustain and legitimize themselves. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, suicides increased markedly as individuals viewed it as a preferable alternative to enduring oppressive rule. Yet, state organs often labeled suicide victims disloyal and resistant to the Party, resulting in severe sanctions against them and their families. This study explores how the handling of suicides differs from or resembles Maoist responses to other forms of death, such as those caused by direct violence or factional conflicts. It also examines how the treatment of suicides is intertwined with broader aspects of Maoist ideology, and how the failure of these discursive strategies contributes to the eventual collapse of Maoist ideological agendas. Investigating these questions moves beyond mere documentation of suicides and delves into the cultural sociology of suicides in authoritarian contexts.

No extended abstract or paper available

 Presented in Session 64. Commemorating Xiaohong Xu: Historicizing the Cultural Revolution and the Reform