During the Yan'an Rectification Movement, Liu behaved as a underling of Mao's far more enthusiastically, which ensured his position and power in the following years. Meanwhile, leaders, even Zhou, were forced to confess their "sins" because they didn't agree with Mao's opinion at first. I think it is not appropriate to say a politician is a good man or a bad man. They are politic animals rather than human beings.