Chinese Revolutions
1911-1921
By Priyanka Juneja, Sasha Ree, and
Lauretta Zhao
Causes of the 1911 Chinese Revolution
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The Qing empire began to grow internally weak:
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Politically
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They were plagued by inefficient emperors
Bad administration
Selling of government posts allowed embezzlement
Corruption increased
No Manchu control
Decentralization of government control
Increase in local power undermining central government
Socially and Economically
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Population grew but poverty increased
 Farmable land was limited and held mainly by wealthy lords
 By law, no one could move out of China
 No new technology or development to adhere to growing number of people’s needs
Governmental fiscal breakdown
 Poverty among the commoners meant inability to collect tax
 Corruption
 Decentralization
 Rebellions cost money
 Fiscal confusion on how to handle the money
Causes of the 1911 Chinese Revolution
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Ideologically
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Anti-manchu sentiment resurfaced as the central government lost control of common class
Militarily
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(con’t)
Their troops had become essentially useless
 Administrative confusion and lack of fundamental cooperation with the government
 Poverty
 Loss of will to fight
 Inactivity
 Slacking on training
External threats also compromised Qing legitimacy
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Political factors
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Inability to fight back made the Qing enter many unfavorable treaties that undermined the power
of the Qing in the face of external foes and internal commoners
Many traditional Chinese states were annexed by foreign power
 Broken into different spheres of influence cutting of Qing control
Social and Economic factors
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Cheaper foreign trade imports undermined the value of goods produced in China
Foreign missionary activity inspired revolt among commoners
Imports began to exceed exports
 Exacerbated by war debts
 Losses that created need to pay tributes
Causes of the 1911 Chinese Revolution
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Ideological factors
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Confucian theory was brought under fire by western influence and thus questioned the foundation
of Manchu government
Nationalism was inspired by the introduction of western ideals and created a national identity that
was decidedly anti-Manchu
Anti Manchu tradition
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(con’t)
Anti Manchu sentiment was strengthened as the old Chinese supremacy attitude resurfaced because
of anger by domination of any foreign power
Being anti-Manchu was a scapegoat for all the countries problems and acted like psychological
comfort to those debating whether to embrace the theory or not
Qing Reform catalyzed overthrow
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Educational Reform
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Sent students to study abroad
 Became intellectuals dissatisfied with Manchu Government
 Backbone of the revolution
Political Reform
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Created holes for the provinces that allowed increased decentralization and allowed them to declare
independence
Causes of the 1911 Chinese Revolution (con’t)
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Military Reform
 Made them independent of Peking and therefore without a military the Manchu government
was forced to abdicate in 1912
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Revolutionary Movement
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Social problems after Sino-Japan war
 Chinese defeat undermined the government and allowed small armed uprisings to occur
 In the Peace Treaty of 1985 the troops used to fight Japan were disbanded and neglected
 They became revolutionaries
 Japan took Taiwan and as a result Taiwanese immigrants fled to Fukien and created social
disorder
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Western ideas spread
 The influence of European Revolution reverberated strongly throughout China
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Acceptance of All out Rebellion
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Western influence and Japan outlined how backwards China was
When in foreign influence- subjection to racism created nationalism
Independence from government allowed room for rebellious thoughts and plans
Education abroad introduced them to radical ideas and activities
Causes of the 1911 Chinese Revolution (con’t)
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Revolution In China
 Sun Yat-Sen’s revolution in S. China
 Huang Hsing's revolution in C. China
 Unsuccessful
 He joined Sun yat-Sen in Japan
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Revolution from Japan
 Abroad studies were in Japan- and most students were from S. China
 Anti-Manchu sentiment was strong in S. China and spread to students studying in
Japan
 Provincial lines divided them- no united revolutionary front
 Radicalism increased and they created the Resist-Russia-Volunteer Corps
 Finally they unified and created the evolutionary Alliance (T'ung-meng hui)
Causes of the Chinese Republic to Communism
The Japanese invaded China and took Qingdao port in 1917. Around this
time World War 1 started and China sided with the allies in order to regain
territory from the Japanese. However with the conclusion of the war, the
treaty of Versailles simply reaffirmed Japanese claim to Chinese land which
lead to a fair bit of discontent among the Chinese population. The May
fourth Movement of some Beijing students against this, caught fire and
spread across China. Sun Yat-Sen tried once again to reunite China by forging
alliances with the societ union and between Guomindang and the Communist
Party of China (CPC), but failed. Then Chiang Kaishek seized control of the
Guomindang after Sun Yat-sen died in 1925. He cut ties with the CPC in
1927 and drove them to the mountains. In 1934 the CPC lead a revolt. They
started the long march of 9500km to the capital with 80,000 troops. At first
Chiang Kashek tried to forge an alliance but after the next Sino-Japan warThe red flag of Mao rained supreme.
PIRATES
From Qing Dynasty to Chinese Republic (1911)
Politics
 January 1, 1912 – Asia’s first constitutional democracy is
founded by Sun Yat Sen: the Republic of China
 Sun wanted to be the absolute leader to “teach” China to
become a democracy
 Confucian political system removed
 Chinese Nationalist party (Kuomintang) established by Sun;
won majority of seats in the first national election, but Sun was
later forced into exile by Yuan Shikai, a military commander.
 Sun received help from Communist Russia, which supplied him
with weapons, tactics, and advisors.
Intellectual
 Sun Yat Sen, the main
revolutionary during this
time, forms a new ideology
which he calls “Three
Principles of the People”,
combining nationalism,
democracy and socialism
 Anti-traditionalist
Religion
 Iconoclastic Nationalist
party; wanted to begin a new
China, so destruction of
religious and ancestral
temples began
 Anti-traditionalist attitude of
the Chinese elite leads to
internal assault of traditional
beliefs
Art/Architecture
 Foreign influences on art
came into China
 There was a separation
between the “conservatives”
and “innovators”.
 Conservatives – wanted to
preserve traditional Chinese
art techniques
 Innovators – wanted to
reform Chinese art with
foreign styles
Economy
 After the fall of the Qing
Dynasty, China’s economy
was unstable
 As Chinese warlords fought
for power, China’s economy
continued to weaken
 However, during WWI,
demand for Chinese goods
increased, spurring industrial
production
Society
 Confucian social system
rejected by the Republic of
China
 China in turmoil and chaos
at the time of Sun’s death
Technology
 Few developments in
technology during this
period, as China is in a
period of instability and
turmoil
PIRATES
From Chinese Republic to Communism (1918-1921)
Politics
 Russian Communists are admitted into the Kuomintang after
agreeing to help Sun Yat Sen
 Sun’s successor, Chiang Kai-shek, eliminates Communist
membership within the Kuomintang.
 The Communist Party began to have its own rebellions against
Chiang’s government.
 May 4, 1919, students held demonstrations protesting the Treaty
of Versailles, which gave Japan the Chinese province of
Shantung.
 This is the beginning of the Communist uprising.
Intellectual
 Wanted to adopt Western
sciences
 New literature written in
vernacular Chinese, one of
the most intellectually
revolutionary periods (19171923)
 Called by some “The
Chinese Renaissance”
Religion
 Marxist-inspired attitude
toward religion; continued to
destroy religious temples
 Traditional Chinese religion
looked down upon
Art/Architecture
 Foreign influences on art
came into China
 There was a separation
between the “conservatives”
and “innovators”.
 Conservatives – wanted to
preserve traditional Chinese
art techniques
 Innovators – wanted to
reform Chinese art with
foreign styles
Economy
 Political turmoil keeps
economy from large
developments – famine, war,
etc
 Still, Chinese products are in
demand elsewhere around
the world
Society
 May Fourth Movement –
wanted to replace Confucian
culture with more
westernized culture
 Traditional Chinese beliefs,
everything from government
to Chinese classics, were
attacked
Technology
 Few developments in
technology during this
period, as China is in a
period of instability and
turmoil
Chronology of Changes in China
Qing to Chinese Republic:
 1905 – Sun Yat-sen organized the anti-Manchu movement from Japan.
 1911 – Xinhai Revolution. Wuchang Uprising. Manchu dynasty overthrown.
 1911 – Sun Yat-sen declared the Chinese republic.
 1913 – Yuan Shi-kai became president.
 1916 – Yuan died. Period of disunity and warlords began.
Chinese Republic to Communism:
 1916 – Warlord era begins
 1919 – May Fourth Movement
 1921 – Foundation of Communist Party of China
 1925 – Sun Yat-sen dies of cancer.
 1926 – Peasant communism spreads.
 1927 – Nanchung Uprising. Chinese Civil War. Creation of the Fourth Red
Army.
Chart of Chinese Government Structures
Machu Government
Republic of China
- Manchu Emperor
head
- Strong Confucian
base
- Huge aristocratic
and noble class
- Power in the hands
of a few
-Anti-Manchu
sentiment
-No
monarch
-Break down of
Confucianism- increase in
westernization and
modernization
-The formation of a
primitive republic
-Still power being held in
the hands of a few
-Further decentralization
between provinces
-Anti-imperialist sentiment
-Loss of outer Mongolia
and Tibet
Communist China
Revolutionary Leaders
Sun Yat-sen: Anti-Manchu
revolutionary and leader of the
New Republic of China (1912)
Huang Hsing: Anti - Manchu
revolutionary
Chiang Kai-shek: 2nd leader of
Chinese republic
Mao Tse-Dong: leader of CPC
and first communist leader
Major points of engagement during Chinese
Revolution of 1911- concentrated in the
south
Communist Revolution- came from the
Mountain bases to ShangXi province
Methods to Gain Support
Chinese Republic:
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There was already a lot of social unrest during the Qing Empire, so it was easy to get the citizens
of China to go along with the Chinese Republic. The Chinese citizens had been suppressed by the
Manchus for so long that they organized quite a few anti-Manchu movements, which spurred the
development of the Chinese Republic.
The first uprising in the 1911 Revolution was entirely against the imperial government’s plan to
nationalize the railway. Many who supported the uprising were wealthy investors who wanted to
keep their wealth, military commanders who wanted independence, and Sun Yat-sen. The Chinese
citizens were angered by the imperial government’s decision and tried to protest. When there was
no response from the government, they turned to the revolutionaries.
Communist Party:
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The Communists were able to use the humiliation of Yuan Shi-kai and his brand of Confucianism
as a motivating factor for the people to adopt Western science, culture, and democratic principles.
The New Culture thinkers published their theories of many Western ideas, including government,
education, culture, economics, and science in books and journals. They viciously attacked the
traditional Chinese views of government, which sparked the May Fourth Movement.
During the Versailles conference after World War I, it was decided that Japan would keep
Shantung. The Chinese were furious about this and protested; however, it did nothing to help.
Several leaders of the pro-Western movement were angry about China’s betrayal, which caused
them to turn to Marxism. The New Culture Movement gestated the seeds of the Chinese
Communist Party.
Comparison of Government Structures
End of Qing Empire
massive social strife
economic stagnation
explosive population growth
famine
anti-Manchu rebellions
banned slavery
banned concubines
banned arranged marriage
banned opium smoking
banned foot-binding
banned judicial torture
banned worship of idols
many internal feuds
weak military because of undeveloped military
technology compared to the rest of the world
many conflicts with foreign powers
signed unequal treaties with foreign powers
Beginning of Chinese Republic
anti-Qing
centered on the Three principles of the People:
nationalism, democracy, and people’s livelihood
ended unequal treaties
brief rule by Yuan Shikai who used military power to
rule
brief rule by warlords who either made treaties with
each other or fought against each other
supported peasants and workers
dictatorial rule by Chiang Kai-Shek
Comparison of Government Structures
Chinese Republic
leaned towards Soviet Union
suppressed worker strikes
strong military force
concentration on destruction of the Communists
backed up by the USA
wanted political and economic modernization while
maintaining the traditional Confucian values
Communism
guidance of workers, peasants, and soldiers to the
socialist revolution
abolition of private ownership of production
equipment
takeover of the state power and the construction of the
dictatorship of the proletariat
abolition of social classes
realization of communism
organized worker strikes
backed up by Joseph Stalin
wanted to eliminate traditional Confucian culture and
create a culture more similar to Western cultures
Works Cited
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"CHINA IN THE 20TH CENTURY." Emayzine 2001. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2011.
</http://www.emayzine.com/>.
"Chinese Revolution." Encyclopedia . N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.encyclopedia.com/>.
"From Republic to Communism." China Travel Guide . N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.justchina.org/>.
Hooker, Richard. "Modern China: The Chinese Communist Party." Information Technology
Learning Systems Group . N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.wsu.edu/>.
"Living in the Chinese Cosmos: Understanding Religion in Late-Imperial China." Asia
for Educators. Columbia University, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.
<http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/>.
Theobald, Ulrich. "Chinese History - The Republic of China ." The Republic of China
(1911-1949) event history. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.chinaknowledge.de/>.
"Traditional Chinese Painting in the Twentieth Century ." The Metropolitan Museum of
Art, New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. <http://www.metmuseum.org/>.
Woo, Philip. "The Chinese Revolution of 1911." TheCorner. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb.
2011. <http://www.thecorner.org/>.
Jobs
Priyanka Juneja – 1, part of 3
 Sasha Ree – 4, part of 3
 Lauretta Zhao – 2
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