CLASS SET: DO NOT WRITE ON
Modern Political Thought in China—part 1
Beginning around 1917, Chinese intellectuals began to engage each other in serious discussion and debate on culture,
history, philosophy, and related subjects — all with an eye to the bigger problem of China’s weakness and the possible
solutions to that problem. This period of intellectual debate, labeled the May Fourth Movement, lasted to around 1921.
Chen Duxiu was one of the leading intellectuals of the May Fourth movement. The passage below is an excerpt from his
article entitled “Our Final Awakening,” published in New Youth in 1916.
Document 1: “Our Final Awakening” by Chen Duxiu
We have been living in one corner of the world for several decades and must ask ourselves what is the level of
our national strength and our civilization. To put it another way, if we open our eyes and take a hard look at the
situation within our country and abroad, what place does our country and our people occupy, and what actions
should we take?
Our task today can be said to be the struggle between the old and the modern currents of thought. Those with
superficial views all expect this to be our final awakening, without understanding how difficult it is to put a
constitutional government into practice.
A constitutional republic which does not derive from the voluntary action of the majority of the people is a
bogus republic and bogus constitution. It is political window‑dressing, in no way like the republican
constitutions of the countries of Europe and America, because there has been no change in the thought or the
character of the majority of the people, and the majority of the people have no personal feeling of direct
material interest.
Questions:
1. As you read this excerpt, what conclusions can you draw about Chen Duxiu’s attitude toward
traditional Chinese culture and philosophy?
2. What is Chen Duxiu’s goal for China?
In 1934, the Nationalist leader Jiang Jieshi called for China to carry out a “New Life Movement.” At the time,
Chiang was leader of the Republic of China, with his government in Nanjing. Chiang’s government, the
Kuomindang (or KMT) had only minimal control over China and much of the country was actually run by
warlords who had retained much of their power, backed by their own armies. Chiang’s government was
corrupt and often cooperated with organized crime in kidnapping and assassination of political enemies. Japan
had taken over northeastern China, (Manchuria) in 1931. Within China, intellectuals had debated (and
attacked) traditional Chinese values in the New Life Movement. The Communist Party, although driven
underground in the cities, was very active with peasants in the countryside. This was Jiang Jieshi’s first speech
for the New Life Movement.
Document 2: Essentials of the New Life Movement (Speech, 1934) by
Jiang Jieshi
The New Life Movement aims to promote a regular life guided by the four virtues: li [ritual/decorum], yi
[rightness or duty], lian [integrity or honesty], and chi [sense of shame]. Those virtues must be applied to
ordinary life in the matter of food, clothing, shelter, and action. The four virtues are the essential principles for
the promotion of morality. They form the major rules for dealing with men and human affairs, for cultivating
oneself, and for adjustment to one’s surroundings. Whoever violates these rules is bound to fail, and a nation
that neglects them will not survive.
By the observance of these virtues, it is hoped that rudeness and vulgarity will be got rid of and that the life of
our people will improve. By the observance of these virtues, it is hoped that beggary and robbery will be
eliminated and that the life of our people will be productive. The poverty of China is primarily caused by the fact
that there are too many consumers and too few producers. They behave thus because they are ignorant of the
four virtues.
By observance of these virtues, it is hoped that social disorder and individual weakness will be changed and
that people will become more military‑minded. If a country cannot defend itself, it has every chance of losing
its existence. Therefore our people must have military training. We must acquire the habits of orderliness,
cleanliness, simplicity, frugality, promptness, and exactness. We must preserve order, emphasize organization,
responsibility and discipline, and be ready to die for the country at any moment.
Questions:
3. Reading these passages, what is the relationship of the individual to the state?
4. In making the recommendations in the above, Jiang Jieshi is implying that something is wrong with
China and the Chinese people — something that his recommendations are intended to fix. What
flaws or weaknesses in the Chinese people does Jiang think they have?
5. If you had to choose one of the qualities/habits above to improve upon yourself, what would you
choose and why?
A revolution is commonly understood to be an event which seeks to overthrow one political group and replace it with
another. In China, Mao Zedong wanted to overthrow the rule of the Kuomindang (or KMT) and establish a new political
order under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. Mao believed that violence and support from the masses
were necessary for the achievement of a peaceful communist order. One of the most critical challenges faced by Mao in
this regard was establishing strong military support for the revolution while simultaneously preventing the armed forces
from becoming too powerful.
Document 3: Mao Zedong on War and Revolution
#1: A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot
be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution
is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.
— From Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan
#2: The revolutionary war is a war of the masses; it can be waged only by mobilizing the masses and relying on
them.
— From Be Concerned with the Well-Being of the Masses, Pay Attention to Methods of Work
#3: War is the highest form of struggle for resolving contradictions, between classes, nations, states, or political
groups, and it has existed ever since the emergence of private property and of classes.
— From Problems of Strategy in China's Revolutionary War
#4: Every Communist must grasp the truth, "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."
— From Problems of War and Strategy
#5: Our Principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party.
— From Problems of War and Strategy
Questions:
6. Why do you think that Mao must state what revolution is like?
7. State one similarity and one difference between the Chinese Revolution with other modern
revolutions.
8. Take one of Mao’s quotations and state why you agree or disagree with it.
Readings and questions in this activity reflect skills from the Common Core ELA-Social Studies Standard
DBQ: Modern Chinese Political Thought 1
Name:
Document 1
1. As you read this excerpt, what conclusions can you draw about Chen Duxiu’s attitude toward traditional
Chinese culture and philosophy?
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2. What is Chen Duxiu’s goal for China?
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Document 2
3. Reading these passages, what is the relationship of the individual to the state?
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4. In making the recommendations in the above, Jiang Jieshi is implying that something is wrong with China
and the Chinese people — something that his recommendations are intended to fix. What flaws or
weaknesses in the Chinese people does Jiang think they have?
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5. If you had to choose one of the qualities/habits above to improve upon yourself, what would you choose
and why?
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Document 3
6. Why do you think that Mao must state what revolution is like?
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7. State one similarity and one difference between the Chinese Revolution with other modern revolutions.
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8. Take one of Mao’s quotations and state why you agree or disagree with it.
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Big Question: Which one of the philosophies would peasants most likely agree with and why?
This will be graded as a Critical Thinking Assignment.
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Thesis Statement
At least 3 pieces of evidence
3-5 Transition Words
Concluding thought at the end
Spelling, Complete Sentences
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