the hundred flowers campaign 1956 - 57

• In 1956, Mao encouraged scientists, artists and writers to criticise the CCP in the Hundred Flowers Campaign.
• Reasons for the Hundred Flowers Campaign

  • unrest in European communist countries following Stalin's death in 1953
  • soviet leader Krushchev criticised Stalin's use of terror against communist party members and suggested a more liberal approach
  • communist parties began experimenting with increasing free speech and reducing central control of the economy, in a hope to reconnect workers with communism