There was a large Poverty Eradication Program that was successfully completed. I really like The Metamorphosis of Yuangudui to show just how massive that campaign was for the people it impacted, it's really heartwarming.

Further, "Brainwashing" as a concept does not exist. People license themselves to accept whatever they think is useful to them. See "Brainwashing" and Masses, Elites, and Rebels: The Theory of "Brainwashing."