Mao's Hundred Flowers Essay

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Was the 'Hundreds Flowers' campaign a genuine attempt to allow more freedom or a clever ruse to trap critics of Mao?

In 1956 Mao Zedong started a campaign to allow more freedom within his communist regime in China. However in a year the campaign had been cancelled, and replaced by a 'anti-rightist campaign'. Was this just a clever trap to allow Mao to see his critics? Or was it a genuine attempt to allow the Chinese people more freedom? Many historians have argued either way.

In 1956 Mao thought it was time to allow more freedom, and allow great expression of thoughts. He intended to allow people to constructively criticises how well communist China was advancing. He made a speech saying how he was extremely pleased with China's current state, and hinted he would be allowing intellectuals more freedom. This was very unusual behaviour from Mao, as he was normally against intellectuals. However did he do this for a certain reason?

Mao had been so pleased with China's state he had sent all the Russian advisers home, as the contract was costing China heavily in resources. However by losing the Russian advisers he needed