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IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : History Of China and Japan (1840-1949) - Post-Revolutionary Developments 1911-19

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History Of China and Japan (1840-1949)

Post-Revolutionary Developments 1911-19

Structure

27.0 Objectives
27.1 Introduction
27.2 Political Instability
27.3 Post-Yuan Events
27.4 Warlords and Warlordism
27.4.1 Armies, Cliques and Pdlity
27.4.2 The Wars
27.4.3 Warlords and Foreign Powers
27.4.4 View from Peking.
27.5 Warlordism and Chinese Society
27.6 Emergence of the Kuomintang
27.7 The May Fourth Movement
27.8 Let Us Sum Up
27.9 Key Words
27.10 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

27.0 OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit you should be able to:

explain why the Revolution of 1911 failed to establish a better political system in China,
know the reasons behind the emergence of militarism in China,
know aboutthe emergence of Kuornintang as a political force and its failure to become a mass based party, and
understand the genesis of the May Fourth Movement and it's revolutionary character.

27.1 INTRODUCTION

Dynastic rule came to an end in China in 1911. Historians have called this event a
revolution. In the area of politics, the end of the monarchy was animportant event but
for the Chinese people as a whole, the Revolution of 191 1 did not in any significant way
make much difference. Nonetheless, the period between 1911-19 is characterised by
many events and developments which had a long-term impact. This period is marked
by political strife, instability and disunity leading to the emergence of Whrlords, which
in turn threatened the unity of the Chinese nation.
Some efforts were made towards a constitutional democracy in the early years of the
so-called Republic, but they failed. The Kuomintang (KMT), which had given up its
secret society characteristics and had participated actively in the overthrow of the
Manchu regime, passed through many trials and tribulations. It emerged as a strong
i political force in the ensuring years. However, the most crucial historical event during
the 1911-19 period was the occurrence of a socio-cultural movement (This has been
j discussed in detail in Unit 28) spearheaded by intellectuals, beginning about 1915 and
reaching a climax in May Fourth Movement, as it came to be called. It resulted in the
birth of the Chinese Communist Party (in 1921).