IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : History Of China and Japan (1840-1949) - The Chinese Revolution of 1911

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History Of China and Japan (1840-1949)

The Chinese Revolution of 1911

Structure

17.0 Objectives
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Ch'ing Reforms
17.2.1 Education
17.2.2 Military
17.2.3 Adminisidtive and Institutional
17.3 State of Economy and Foreign Interests
17.4 Forces of apposition
17.5 Development of Chinese Nat~onalism
17.5.1 Reformers and Revolutionaries
17.5.2 The Reformists
17.5.3 The Revolutionaries
17.6 The Tung Meng Hui and its Ideology
17.7 The 1911 Revolution
17.7.1 Protection of the Sichuan Railways
17.7.2 The Wochang Rebellion
17.7.3 Declaration of Independence
17.7.4 The Ch'ing Response
17.7.5 The Chinese Republic
17.8 Aftermath
17.9 Let US Sum Up
17.10. Key Words
17.1 1 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

17.0 OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit, you will :

be aware of the various factors that led to the outbreak of the revolution in China,
be able to know the various reforms set by the Manchus in order to consolidate their dynastic rule and establish a modern state,
develop an idea about the social forces that emerged to save the country from Ch'ing's rule,
understand how Chinese nationalism geared up as a strong force against the Ch'ing's and imperialist powers,
have an idea about the various sections of Chinese society who became a major strength for the rise of nationalism, and
be familiar with the 19 1 1 Revolution and its aftermath.

17.1 INTRODUCTION

In Unit 15 we have seen how, during the second half of the 19th century the Ch'ing
state was more or less compelled to embark on a programme of limited reforms.
Towards the end of the century, with the imperialist threat looming large, a brief
attempt was made at more widespread reform. All these attempts at guided reform ' from above did not, however, call into question the viability of the imperial political
structure. The reforms were in a sense introduced to strengthen and uphold the
Confucian tradition and the polity. The 1898 Reforni Movement, whichshad a brief
life, set in motion trends which were to overwhelm the Ch'ipg and the political
structures during the first decades of the twentieth century. The 191 1 Revolution was
a culmination of this process.