In the modern era has there ever been an actual 'youth revolution' to remove older generations from power?

by Drone-riots

You hear a lot about how much everyone hates the baby boomer generation so it got me wondering. Has a youth movement ever overthrown their government specifically to kick the entrenched older generations out?

SaibaManbomb

Hmmm, awfully broad question with some tricky things to consider, but you may be interested in the Cultural Revolution of China (1966-76). It's not totally accurate to say it was a youth movement trying to overthrow the government, but one of its defining features were the Red Guard brigades, young Chinese revolutionaries who literally terrorized both existing government officials and anybody who was perceived as clinging too boldly to old, non-Maoist traditions. The movement existed in some form at least up until 1971, and snagged some older technocrats such as Deng Xiaoping and General Xiao Hua. However, while it got out of hand and targeted symbols of Chinese tradition or 'bourgeois corruption', it was actively encouraged by people from the older generation like Mao Zedong and Lin Biao. So it may not line up precisely with what you're looking for!

But if you'd like to read more, I'd recommend checking out:

Leader, Shelah Gilbert. "The Communist Youth League and the Cultural Revolution." Asian Survey 14, no. 8 (1974): 700-15. doi:10.2307/2642722.

Teiwes, Frederick C. Provincial leadership in China: the cultural revolution and its aftermath. Ithaca, NY: China-Japan Program, Cornell University, 1974.

Frederick Teiwes actually wrote a lot on the subject, including the rationale behind the Red Guards' activities and what the leaders of them believed in. I guess he's a bit outdated now, but still worth a look if you have time.