History of China (1839-1949 AD)

History

Lesson – 8.1.4.4

Paper-8: History of China (1839-1949 AD)

Topic: Revolution of 1911 – Part 1

Lecture: 4

Glossary

Treaty of Nanking: Treaty signed in 1842 after the defeat of China after the First Opium War. It was an unequal and humiliating treaty for China as it was forced to reduce its tariffs.

Bourgeoisie: Members of the upper or merchant class whose status or power come from wealth, education and employment and is distinguished from the aristocratic family.

Reformist ideology: Philosophy that promotes gradual democratic changes in society as a base for change in fundamental economic relations and political structures as opposed to revolutions.

Sun Yat-sen (1866 – 1925): Chinese revolutionary and political leader who was responsible for the overthrow of the Manchu government and establishment of a Republican form of government in China.

Treaty of Shimonoseki: Treaty signed between Japan and China in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. It was a humiliating treaty where China had to pay a huge war indemnity and recognize full autonomy of Korea.

Tsou Jung (1885 – 1905): Pioneering Chinese revolutionary who at the age of eighteen published The Revolutionary Army, the first Chinese manifesto advocating the overthrow of the monarchy and full-scale social revolution.

Propaganda: Dissemination of ideas in order to influence attitudes and action, the source of which is anonymous.

Concessions: Foreign enclaves within the Chinese mainland

Revive China Society: Society formed by Sun Yat-sen in 1894 in Honolulu in order to overthrow the Manchu rule.

Mao Tse Tung (1893 – 1976):A revolutionary and Communist ruler,he proclaimed the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

Objectives

The students will

1. Understand the background to the revolution of 1911
2. Appreciate the role of Sun Yat-sen
3. Realize the intensity of the revolution

Summary

The revolution of 1911 was a culmination of a series of reaction against the penetration of imperialist powers in China and also against the exploitation of Manchu government of the Chinese people. Foreign control caused severe socio-economic crisis and the Manchu government became collaboratorwiththem.

Throughout the three stages of the revolution different social forces contributed to ascertain that the foreign control and feudalism was eradicated. These included the new gentry, the western-educated intellectuals, reformists, the later Ching reforms, constitutionalists, secret societies, toiling people, overseas Chinese students and the revolutionaries led by Sun Yat-sen.

Like all repressive regimes, the Manchu government resorted to state terror and repressive measures to combat the rebels. Propaganda publications were banned. Soon they realized that some reforms need to be given to appease the people and protect their position from the impending doom. So the Manchu government ultimately acceded to the later Ching reforms of 1901 and 1908.

FAQs

1. What did the Revolution of 1911 accomplish?

The revolution of 1911 actually accomplished two important things: 1) it brought about the end of about 250 years of Manchu rule (from 1644 onwards) and 2) there was a formation of the Republican form of government in China.

2.Elaborate on the control of the foreign powers over China.

The foreign powers forced China to open as many as 82 of her inland and coastal ports to their trade and 16 areas were marked off as their ‘concessions’ i.e. foreign enclaves within the Chinese mainland. They invested in various industrial undertakings in China and the total amounted to 200 million silver dollars (Spanish carolas). They also gained access to 80% of China’s heavy industries. They also controlled communication network and transport. From different treaties they were able to exercise control over the customs and over the inland tariff duties. In this way the whole of the Chinese economy came under the control of different foreign powers.

3.Mention some secret societies that took an active role in the Revolution of 1911.

Apart from the Revive China Society or Hsing Chung Hui founded by Sun Yat-sen there were at least two other societies which played positive roles in the revolutionary movement – 1) Kuang Fu Hui or Society for the Restoration of China and 2) Hua Hsing Hui or Society for the Revival of the Chinese Nation. These three revolutionary organizations came to an agreement on their anti-Manchu stand, that Manchu rule should come to an end.

4.Describe the types of publications in support of the revolution.

For the purpose of propaganda purpose there were three different types of publications: A) Reprinting of books exposing the torture committed by the Ching nobility ever since they captured political power in 1644 by over throwing the Ming. B) Publication of essays and books written by bourgeoisie revolutionary intellectuals to expose the corrupt practices of the Manchus, their subservience to the foreign powers and their selling out of the country to the foreign powers and C) Compilation and translation of books of western origin written in the Capitalist west during their stages of bourgeoisie revolution so that those could be pointed out in support of their movement.

5. What impact did the reversal of the Japanese extra territoriality have on China?

Before July 1899 western powers and China enjoyed the right of extra territoriality in Japan. It means that if a Chinese rebel was caught in Japan then he would be arrested by the Japanese police and then handed over to the Chinese government. But after July 1899 it was no longer there. This meant that the Manchu rulers could not expect to get the support of the Japanese government to arrest rebel, dissident Chinese. But on the other hand the dissident Chinese students and youth could now move about freely and propagate their ideology from Japan without moving in a clandestine manner.

Quiz

1. A legal cover of the Revive China Society branch was in

A) Hong Kong()

B) Honolulu

C) Shantung

2. Chen Tien-hua wrote the important pamphlet

A) Alarm Bell()

B) Revolutionary Army

C) Citizen’s Daily

3. The Treaty of Shimenoseki was signed with

A) USA

B) Russia

C) Japan()

4.Sun Yat-sen’s first society was called

A) Revolutionary Brotherhood

B) Revive China Society()

C) Society for the Restoration of China

5. The revolutionary Army was written by

A) Sun Yat-sen

B) Chen Tien-hua

C) Tsou Jung ()

ASSIGNMENT

• Discuss the role of the national bourgeoisie in the Chinese Revolution.

• Highlight the role of foreign powers in preserving feudalism in China.

• Discuss Sun Yat-sen’s role in transforming China into a Republic.

• Elaborate the role played by revolutionary societies in China.

• Mention the role of some of the revolutionary writers of that time in China.

Reference

1. The Revolution of 1911 by the Compilation Group, Peking.

1. Jean Chesneaux, From the Opium War to 1911 Revolution.

1. Woolfgang Frank, A century of the Chinese Revolution.

1. The Revolution of 1911:Turning Point in Modern Chinese History, Beijing.

1. Israel Epstein, From Opium War to Liberation.