11 The Chinese Revolution
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1911 Revolution
I) Background: (p.1)
Feeble leadership and faulty institutions
weak emperors:
Jiaging 1796-1820
Dauguang 1820-1850
Xianfeng 1851-1861
Tongzhi 1862-1874
Guangxu 1875-1908
Xuantong 1909-1912
lack of good statesmen
faulty institution: divide-and-rule
Manzhu suspicion of Chinese
anti Manzhuism + racial discrimination
Rebellions
à decentralization
à restlessness
Role of Western impact
bad impact
economic impact
political ?sovereignty
beneficial effects
education, scientific knowledge, etc. ?a model
spread of revolutionary ideas ?nationalism, liberalism
Dr. Sun Yixian: (p.3)
Social origin
poor peasant family
received Western education
Reformist period 1884-1894
1894 ?a memorial to Li
goal: ‘Enrich the country, strengthen the army?/P>
methods:
developing human talent
exploiting earth resources
free circulation of commerce
rejected by Li
Revolutionary ideology:
origin: a mixture of Chinese and Western elements
programmes of revolution:
formulated in 1905
strategy: 3 stages
military rule: 3 years
political tutelage: 6 years
constitutional rule
3 people’s principles:
aims: ?a government of the people¥Á¦³, by the people¥Áªv, for the people¥Á¨É?(by Lincoln)
Nationalism ¥Á±Ú
before 1911:
Anti-Manzhuism ?Primary goal
Anti-Imperialism ?Secondary goal
after 1911:
internally ?writing all races
externally ?anti-imperialism
Democracy ¥Á¥D
Chief ideas:
administrative powers ?by the government
sovereign powers ?by people
5 - power constitution
Legislative
Executive Western ideas
Judicial
Examinatorial
Censorial
People retained sovereignty : 4 powers
suffraage¿ïÁ|
recall ½}§K
initiative³Ð¨î (³Ð¥ß¨î«×)
referendum ½ÆÅv
Difficulties:
5 branches ?Complicating the government
Political inexperience
China ?very large
Socialism ¥Á¥Í
Regulation of capital
evils of industrialization à nationalization of large enterprises
equalization of land-ownership à increase in land value (tax heavily)
* preventive measures only, no immediate relief
Sun’s role in Chinese revolutions:
military role: insurrections (small uprising)
utility:
Tong-meng Hui 1905
3 people’s principle
his optimistic attitude: morale á
fund raising:
Overseas, Chinese
diplomatic role: neutrality of powers
revolutionary devotion : unselfishness
Essay Questions:
How far did Sun Yixian contribute to the ending of Manzhu rule in 1912? (1994)
Which one of Sun Yixian’s Three People’s Principle won most support for the revolutionaries. Justify your view. (1985)
Approach of question 2:
Introduction:
3 People’s Principles
Nationalism most attractive (appealing)
Nationalism won most support
What Nationalism means?
Anti- Manzhuism + Anti- imperialism
Why?
Decline of Qing = Han Chinese vs Manzhu
Effects of foreign encroachment
Democracy was less attractive:
What democracy was?
5- power constitution, 4-power of direct democracy
Why?
People ?Ignorant, no political experience
China ?too large in size (decentralization)
Revolutionaries ?conservatives
Confucianism ?political concepts
?believe in Monarchy (Should not be a Republic)
Socialism was less attractive:
What Socialism was?
Regulation of capital, equalization of land ownership
Why?
Revolutionaries ?property owners
Preventive measures only ?not remedial (no social relief)
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Revolutionary organizations: (p.10)
Revive China Society:
by Sun in Honolulu in 1894
2 uprisings: 1895, 1900
goal: 1) strengthening China, 2) opposing foreign aggression
Society for the Revival of China:
by 1903, by Huang Xing, a Hunanese
uprising in Changsha in 1904
Restoration Society
by 1904, in Shanghai, by Choi Yuen-pei
members: intellectuals
Chinese United League
1905 ?Tokyo
Dr. Sun
ideology : 3 people’s principle
5. Revolutionary groups in Japan
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Reformers and Revolutionaries: (p.13)
1.
Reformers (Emperor’s Protection society) Kang You-wei, Liang Qi-chao |
Revolutionaries (Tong- meng- hui) Dr. Sun |
Clashes:
Before 1905: Reformers were on the upper hands
After 1905: Revolutionaries were on the upper hands
Comparison:
Similarities:
More effective communication between government and people
--- popular sovereignty, --- constitution government
Political transformation before national assertion (self-assertion)
Patriotism
Difference: à controversies (conflicts)
Form of government:
Reformers ?Constitutional Monarchy.
Reasons ?China was not ready for a republic (uneducated, inexperience), the potential of Manzhus.
Revolutionaries ?Republic
Reasons ?People’s sovereignty ensured
Models from Japan, other countries
More advanced
* Reformers ?Gradual, Revolutionaries ?Great Leap
Manzhu performance:
Reformers: Chinese and Manzhu could not be distinguished
Manzhu ?A small fraction of population
Cooperation à Success
Confidence in Manzhu
Revolutionaries: Manzhu insincerity , bias towards china
* Reformers ?Manzhu identified as Chinese nationalism
Revolutionaries ?Nationalism = Anti- Manzhuism
Speed of Change:
Reformers: no sudden, violent changes
revolution à bloodshed, foreign intervention
not ripe fpr a republic
Revolutionaries: a great leap
Revolution à set up of Constitutionalism
Manzhu: incapable
Revolution à orderly
Balance of power in China (3)&(4) are unsound argument
Necessity of socialism:
Reformers:
No equalization of land ownership,
“Robbing the rich to share with the poor?/P>
No urgent industrial problem
Revolutionaries:
Three People’s principles:
To prevent future disasters ?social revolution
To prevent social problems
Essay question:
Analyze the Constitutionalists?attitudes towards the revolutionary and the Qing government up to the fall of the Qing dynasty in February 1912. (1997)
Introduction:
Reformers (Constitutionalists) Vs Revolutionaries
Constitutionalists towards revolutionaries:
Similarities: refer to notes à conflicts between Dr. Sun and Liang (1899)
Conflicts: form of government, speed of change, necessity of socialism
Constitutionalist towards Qing:
Belief in potential of Qing + realizing weaknesses of Qing
1908-1912: Participation in the Constitutional Movement, 1912—Join revolution
V) The Wuchang Uprising (p.17)
Role of different participants in the Revolution
Secret Societies:
Description :
anti-dynastic in nature
lowest classes
Role
revolution got most support through them
helped in uprising
channel between rural population and overseas Chinese
Wuchang Uprising ?Military backbone
II) Overseas Chinese: Financial support
III) Returned students:
Teachers
Propagandists
Infiltrated into New Army
Leaders and plotters
IV) New Army:
Literary Society ?started Wuchang Uprising
Helped in declaring independence of provinces
V) Gentry:
Touched off by revolution, carried on by gentry
The nature of 1911 Revolution
Anti-dunastic
A nationalist movement? ?Anti Manzhu mainly, not much for anti-imperialism
(foreign neutrality) Thus, not an anti-imperialist movement
An army mutiny?
Grievances of army à army mutiny
* It started as an army mutiny, but actually it was anti-dynastic in nature and carried on by revolutionaries + gentry (role)
1911 Revolution: a successful / completed revolution?
Outline: To comment on weather it was successful, the aims of the revolution should be studied. The aims were outline in Dr. Sun’s Three People’s Principles.
