Reform Movements of 19th Century China
Self-Strengthening Movement
Hundred Day Reforms
Late Qing Reforms
click to edit
Date: The Hundred Day Reform occurred after the Chinese defeat in the Sino - Japanese War (1894-95). It happened on the 11th June 1898 till the 21st September 1898
Impact: The Hundred Day Reform was short lived and ineffective
Significance: It was an attempt to modernise China by reforming its Government, economy and society. It happened through pressure from the Chinese people urging to westernise the country to advance in technology, have social, cultural and political change.
Success: The Hundred Day Reform was a 103 day failed national, political, cultural and societal movement. The failure of the reforms was mainly due to the power struggle between the Emperor and the Cixi
Significance:
Educational reform exposed people to Western ideas for the first time which boosted revolutionary ideas.
The abolition of examination also introduced more Western ideas and encouraged more people to learn these ideas because they were no longer worried about the social or career impacts.
Date: 1901-1910 educational, 1905 abolition of examination, 1901 military reforms, 1911 revolution
Success:
The Educational reforms aimed to boost nationalism, instead people become more exposed to Western ideas and revolutionary ideas increased.
Overall, the Qing reforms aimed to boost nationalism in China through the different reforms. Instead people were more exposed to Western ideas and this encouraged them to push for revolutionary change.
impact:
Impact
Significance
Date
Success
1861-1895
Feng Guifen was the leading theorist, he wrote many essays on reforms in China. He believed that Chinese society should still be based on Confucian ethic but should use Western science and technology --> would come from Chinese Learning but western skills would strengthen the country
The Reforms
Limited Achievements
- in the building of modern dockyard, machine factories, new arsenals, founding of a Chinese merchant shipping line and the beginnings of a modern navy
Had a significant flaw: 'Di McDonald' argued that 'modern weapons were useless in pre-modern hands'
the Chinese further experienced military defeats, losing control of Indo-China (Vietnam) to France in 1994-85 and ceding Taiwan to Japan in 1894-95
a further barrier: conservative mandarins who opposed many of the new innovations
National Defence
Industry and Trade
Education
strengthen China's armed forces by copying the skills of the West
naval training schools were established, military leaders were sent abroad (army officers --> Germany, naval to Britain)
China Merchants' Stem Navigation Company
The Kaiping (coal mines)
Hanyang (iron works)
Daye (iron mine)
Many industrial projects began --> established mints, cotton mills, flour mill, paper mill --> financed and managed by merchant under gov. control
communication and transport were improved, ports were developed and lighthouses built
- 11 Ministries created for things like education and war
- Over seas scholarships and introduction of Western subjects like science
- Importance of military in education, military added to the curriculum
- Abolished the examinations
- New army which could crush rebellion
- Railway building: efficient way to transport and encourage internal trade
Banned use of opium
no major railway lines were establsihed
could not be successfully strengthened without education
established foreign language schools
science and maths were taught by foreign teachers at the school, Zongli Yamen
sent some students abroad for education, between 1872 and 1881: 120 young men were educated in US
Diplomatic modernisation
led to the establishment of the Zongli Yamen, the Tongwenguan and foreign language schools in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Fuzhou
Prince Gong financed the translation of a book on international law based on Western principles --> served as a guide for diplomacy
In 1868, sent first official diplomatic abroad
mission to gain sympathy of treaty powers for China
diplomatic modernisation improved communication between west and chinese governments
the country did not accept change
establishment of factories encouraged economic development and peasant became industrial workers
reformers such as Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang were not willing to introduce a full program of industrial and social change
the reformers had no general plan: little change in system of government and the movement did not affect the majority of Chinese people
MAIN ACHIEVEMENT: demonstrating possibilities for change
Conservative Opposition
failed to gain the support of Chinese officials
ruling class did not welcome intro of western learning
most conservative officials believed China could strengthen based on Confucian ideas
afraid to lose their power; lose classical education
in 1881, conservative official stopped sending students abroad
feared students were learning democratic or republican ideas --> threat to Qing government
Empress Cixi agreed but allowed limited reform but opposed any change that would threaten her power
Prince Gong, who was the main Manzu reformer lost much of his power after 1865 while Cixi increased
Problems of Military Reform
army and navy remained weak
when war broke out with Japan in 1894, above 40% of the chinese troops were still armed with spears and swords
the production of modern weapons was made difficult by conservative opposition to western technology
army and navy were controlled mainly by provincial governors and therefore Chinese soldiers and sailors did not have a strong feeling of national loyalty
Problems of Industrialisation
mainly unsuccessful because of corruption, mismanagement and opposition to new ideas
because it was new and foreign
the officials responsible for gov-controlled industries were corrupt --> Empress herself was involved in bribery, so corrupt officials were not punished
bc merchants refused to do business with them
great conservative opposition of the building of railwayss
enable foreigners to expand further into China
lack of capital to invest in new projects
Qing gov were unwilling to get foreign loans for industrial development and merchants preferred to invest their capital in land, rather than industry