The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was introduced in 1966 after the failure of the Great Leap Forward campaign, which was an attempt to modernise China's economy. The Great Leap Forward planned to develop agriculture and industry. People were encouraged to set up industries in the backyards.
A severe drought killed millions in China and Russia withdrew its professionals who had been sent to China to help in the industrialization process. This led to the Cultural Revolution under which the students and professionals were sent to work and learn from the countryside.