40 years on after the Cultural Revolution

The central government has never released an official death toll for the Cultural Revolution, but Chinese and overseas scholars estimate from 2 million to 20 million.

Ye Jianying, who arrested the Gang of Four, thought 20 million, with 100 million people harmed, while R.J. Rummel of the University of Hawaii calculated more than 10 million died. French historian Stephane Courtois estimated up to 7 million; Ding Shu, of Normandale Community College, Minnesota, said 2 million were executed, tortured to death or committed suicide.