The Great Leap forward failed, therefore Mao was demoted and the moderates took control because Mao was still too popular to resign. One of the political consequences was that Mao wanted to reassert himself and regain power in China after he was demoted because of the failure of the Great Leap Forward.
Mao had the gained the support of Lin Biao and the PLA therefore launched the Cultural Revolution. Mao wanted to get rid of anti communist ideas and opposition that would pose a threat to his leadership and foreign ideas that would influence the people of China. …
