Class Notes for Week 13

Here is what was covered in Tuesday's discussion section:

China
Attempts at Reform
Second Opium War/Arrow War, 1856-1860

Self-strengthening Movement (Chinese emphasis—Western technology, Chinese spirit)
1) First Phase, 1861-1872—concentration on military, diplomacy, and international law
2) Second Phase, 1872-1884—more on industry, need to create wealth to build up infrastructure
3) Third Phase, 1884-1894—slower reform, emphasis on light industry (e.g. textiles)

Nationalism, each nation rules its own state, powerful and necessary ideology for modern state—part of reform

But Qing is Manchu while China is mostly Han

Qing are in a difficult position, need nationalism centered on loyalty to the throne rather than on ethnicity, but many don’t want this (e.g. Sun Yat-sen)

Need reform to be strong but reform breeds more people like Sun Yat-sen!

Qing rulers, Ci Xi (1835-1908) realized this and tried to limit reform.

Also a great deal of corruption (Li Lianying).
So won’t find too many Qing loyalists when the dynasty falls.
Korea, 1894 Tonghak (동학, 東學) Rebellion
Japanese and Chinese both send troops, ostensibly to put down the rebellion

Fighting breaks out between Japan and China over Korea, Sino-Japanese War, 1894-95.

Chinese are favorites but Japanese win

100 Days of Reform, Kang Youwei and Guangxu Emperor, focus on improvement in military and education—reaction against loss to Japan

Move somewhat away from self-strengthening/China emphasis to more radical ideas, not yet revolution

Lasted a short time—conservative backlash brought it down and Guangxu Emperor was put under house arrest and some of his supporters were killed

After failure in Sino-Japanese war and of reforms, China is incredibly weak and pressures against it increase

In 1900, as a reaction to these pressures and foreign inroads into China, “Boxers” rise up in rebellion, killing foreigners and Chinese Christians.

Qing support uprising and Boxers besiege foreign legations in Beijing.

Uprising is eventually (brutally) put down by a multi-nation task force

Qing made even weaker, reactionaries discredited, radical reforms increase, though few are implemented

Sun Yat-sen, Revolutionary, Three People’s Principles, Nationalism, Democracy, Livelihood

Two Major Concerns:
1) How have a revolution without a period of disunity (Republic—with tutelage)
2) How to avoid economic disparities that exist in Western countries (socialism)

Revolution of 1911—Sun first president

Guomindang (Nationalist Party-GMD), fails to hold China together

Yuan Shi-kai—military leader under Qing, takes control of Presidency from Sun, eventually tries to found a new dynasty—dies in 1916

After Yuan dies China falls more into disunity—Warlord Period (Dog meat General, Zhang Zong-chang)

Weakness leads to events like May Fourth Movement—protest against Versailles treaty—rise in nationalism

Chiang Kai-shek, takes control of GMD, Northern Expedition, 1926-1928, attempt to unify China




The key points that I am trying to stress here is the importance of nationalism and reform in China. The Qing dynasty needed to reform to strengthen the dynasty against foreign incursions and against internal pressures (like rebellion). However, to much reform would bring too much nationalism which could then endagner the dynasty. That is why Qing leaders, such as Ci Xi were anti-reform. They saw that it could destroy their dynasty. After the 1911 revolution the Qing dynasty fell apart but there was nothing strong enough to replace it and so the Chinese were still taken advantage of. This can be seen in the May Fourth movement of 1919, which was a reaction to the Versailles Treaty. Japan and China were on the victorious side in World War One. Japan had seized Germany territory in China. China expected this territory to be returned but instead Japan was allowed to keep it. Many Chinese were angry at this and this led to a growth in nationalism. This nationalism helped power the Nationalists (GMD) to reunite a large part of China. However, they were not able to unite all of China. China was not completely united until the victory of the Communists over the Nationalists in 1949. Today, some would argue that China is still not reunited because Taiwan is not a part of the People's Republic of China.