Final answer:
Mao Zedong initiated the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution after the Great Leap Forward failed, to eliminate political opposition and reinforce communist ideology, resulting in great social upheaval and millions of deaths.
Step-by-step explanation:
After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao called for the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution to eliminate political opposition. This movement, which started in the mid-1960s, was led by Mao Zedong to restore the vitality of communism in China and purge the country of capitalist and traditional elements. It resulted in a catastrophic upheaval of the societal structure, leading to the closure of schools and universities, and inciting violence against intellectuals.
The Cultural Revolution saw the military recruit young people, including high school and university students, to reinforce Maoist ideology, promoting class struggle to maintain the primacy of the proletariat and the Communist Party. The death toll from this decade-long upheaval is estimated to range from 1.5 million to as high as 10 million people, demonstrating the profound impact of Mao's policies on China's social and political landscape.