CHINESE REVOLUTION(1)

The Opium War (1839-1842)

• British East India Company started to
trade opium, and a loss of silver imports
and an increase in societal problems
forced action.

• Trade doesn´t stop, so military dumps
tons of the drug.

• The war following is an embarrassing loss
for China, and marks the beginning of
foreign intrusion.



Spheres of Influence

• The British forced the Chinese to sign what
was called the Unequal Treaties, allowing
UK to trade as they wish, and carve their
own sphere of influence.

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• Other European powers as well as US, follow
Britain´s example and soon China is filled
with foreign influence and merchants.

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• This leads to numerous rebellions, such as
the Nanjing rebellion, which nearly took
down the Qing dynasty.

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• These were the forerunner to the movement
that would take the dynasty down.



Boxer Rebellion (1900)

• Chinese people resented
foreign influence and power

• Order of the Patriotic
Harmonious Fists

– Called “Boxers” by Westerners
– Demanded that foreigners leave

China
– Killed 300 and vandalized foreign

property

• European imperialists,
Americans, and Japanese put
down the rebellion

• China paid $333,000,000 in
damages and had to permit
military forces in Peking
(Beijing) and Tientsin

The Fall of the Qing

• After the Boxer Rebellion the Qing
dynasty try to reform itself.

• New education system based on
the Western model, and political
provincial system

• Emerging new elite, composed by
merchants, professionals and
reform-minded gentry became
impatient with the political
change.

• Living conditions were getting
worse, taxes increased.

Fall of the Qing (Manchu)
Dynasty

• Empress Dowager Cixi
(1835-1908)

– De facto Chinese monarch
(1861-1908)

– “Make me unhappy for a day
and I will make you unhappy for
a lifetime.”

– Conservative and anti-foreign
– Blamed by many Chinese for

foreign imperialist power in
China

• Emperor Puyi – the
“Last Emperor”

– Lived 1906-1967
– Ruled China 1908-1912,

and as a puppet for 12
days in 1917
– Puppet emperor of
Manchukuo (Japanese-
ruled Manchuria),
1932-1945
– Spent ten years in a
Soviet prison after WWII
– Lived a quiet life as a
regular citizen in
communist China
– Died of disease during
the Cultural Revolution
(1967)

The Rise of Sun Yat-sen

• In the 1890s formed the Revive
China Society.

• Believed that the dynasty was in a
state of decay. If China doesn´t
unite and get a strong government
they will continue at the mercy of
foreigners.

• China wasn´t ready for
democracy.

• Proposed a reform process

– 1. military take over
– 2. transitional phase to prepare for

democracy
– 3. constitutional democracy

The Revolution of 1911

• In 1908, Empress Dowager Ci Xi
died. The throne was now
occupied by her sun Pu Yi.

• In October 1911 followers of Sun
Yat sen launched an uprising in
central China.

– Qing dynasty collapsed
– But Sun´s party was not strong

enough to form a new government.

• Yuan Shigai was in charge of the
imperial army but negotiated with
Sun´s party.

– He agree to be president of the new
republic and allow elections.

But…

• The revolution didn´t produce new
political or social order.

• Many things had to be worked out.
• Most of Chinese people still lived on the

land, and few peasants supported Sun Yat
sen´s party.

Republic of China:
Weaknesses

• Disunity

– Local warlords fought
Guomindang for control

– Wars raged between 1912
and 1928

• Foreign imperialists

– Americans, Europeans, and
Japanese

• Poor transportation

– 1914 – only 6,000 miles of
railroad track

• 225,000 miles in the smaller
United States

– Few decent roads

Civil War in China

• 1927-1932 and 1933-1937 – war
between Communists and
Nationalists

– Communists – Mao Tse-tung (Mao
Zedong)

– Nationalists – Chiang Kai-shek

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• War halted 1932-1933 and 1937-1945
to fight Japanese aggression

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• Communists were victorious in 1949
• Nationalists retreated to Formosa

(Taiwan)
• End of imperialism in China

– Hong Kong returned to China in 1997