Mr.
Weiss
History of China
Time Magazine Cover –
Jan. 22, 2007
China – Dawn of a
New Dynasty
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
Time Magazine 1/22/07
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
The Origins of Chinese Civilization: c. 2200 - 221 BC
Xia: c. 2200 - c. 1750 BC
Shang: c. 1750 - c. 1040 BC
Western Zhou: c. 1100 - 771 BC
Eastern Zhou, The Spring & Autumn Period, and the Warring States: 771 - 221 BC
The Early Empire: 221 BC - AD 589
Qin: 221 - 206 BC
Earlier Han, the Wang Man Interregnum, and the Later Han
The Three Kingdoms and the Dynasties of the North and South
The Second Empire: 589 - 1644
Sui: 589 - 618
Tang: 618 - 907
Northern and Southern Song: 960 - 1279
Yuan (Mongol): 1279 - 1368
Ming: 1368 - 1644
The Birth of Modern China: 1644 - present
Qing (Manchu): 1644 - 1911
Republican China: 1911 - 1949
The People's Republic of China: 1949 - present
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
A Brief History of the Civilization of China (1:47)
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
From at least 1766BC to the 20th century, China was
ruled by dynasties. A dynasty is a ruling family that passes
control from one generation to the next. One dynasty
lasted more than 800 years, while another lasted only
fifteen years. The Chinese people supported their rulers
because of what they called the Mandate of Heaven. The
ancient Chinese believed their ancestors in heaven had
chosen their leaders. The people would rebel against a
weak leader because they believed he had lost the
Mandate of Heaven.
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
Republican China (1911-1949)
During World War I, the Chinese Government, such as it was, sided
with the Allies. In return, they were promised that the German
concessions in Shangdong province would be handed back over to the
Chinese Government at the end of the war. They weren't, and to add
insult to injury, the Treaty of Versailles handed them over to Japan.
On May 4, 1919, about 3,000 students from various Beijing
universities got together in Tiananmen Square and held a mass
protest. The movement that was born at that rally (called, not
unsurprisingly, the May Fourth Movement) was the first true
nationalist movement in China and has consequently served as an
inspiration for Chinese patriots of all shades, stripes, and ideologies
since. The students of the "Beijing Spring" of 1989 intentionally drew
parallels with the May Fourth Movement; it is all the more ironic and
tragic that June Fourth will now live on in infamy as the day that the
tanks rolled in Tiananmen Square
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
In the early 1920s, Dr. Sun Yatsen, as the leader
of the (up-to-then unsuccessful) Nationalist
Party (KMT), accepted Soviet aid. With the
Communist help, Sun Yatsen was able to forge a
alliance with the fledgling Chinese Communist
Party (CCP), and started the task of re-unifying a
China beset with warlords.
Unfortunately, Sun died of cancer in 1925. The
leadership of the KMT was then taken over by
Chiang Kaishek.
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
Chiang Kaishek and the Nationalists then ran China for
many years. China constantly had differences and
battles with Japan and the Communists. The
Nationalists, in contrast to the Communists, were
disorganized and corrupt, problems that would only
intensify after World War Two.
At the end of World War II, the war between the
Nationalists and the Communists started up again. By
early 1949, the Nationalists were hamstrung by
intractable corruption and huge debts; they paid off
their debts by printing more money, which only lead to
hyperinflation.
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
By that October, the Nationalists had fled to Taiwan
and Mao Zedong had proclaimed the creation of the
People's Republic of China
The People's Republic of China (1949- )
When Communist Party Leader Mao Zedong took power in
1949 he was determined to transform China from a rural
economy into an industrial giant. Farms were
collectivized into large communes and resources shifted
to heavy industry, which was nationalized. But, by Mao’s
death in 1976 it was clear these reforms had failed,
leaving China impoverished and isolated.
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
The People’s Republic of China was a nation with
virtually no political or economic freedom, however
that began to change after the death of Mao, as China
headed into the late 1970’s. The new leader, Deng
Xiaoping began an ambitious program of economic
reform aimed at raising rates of foreign investment
and growth. He ended collective farming, initiating a
“responsibility system” which freed farmers to choose
what crops to grow and sell any surplus for profit.
Deng encouraged foreign trade and investment
through joint ventures. In the south, zones were
created giving investors tax concessions in exchange
for revenue and technical knowledge. Deng’s reforms
led to a more market-based economy.
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
Hong Kong, which had been ruled by the British
starting in 1841, was turned over to China in 1997.
Hong Kong had become the ultimate example of the
success of Capitalism. The world wondered what the
Communist Nation of China would do with Hong Kong.
China promised that under its “one country, two
systems” formula, China’s socialist economic system
will not be imposed on Hong Kong and than Hong
Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next
50 years. As of today, China has kept that promise.
Mr.
Weiss
History of China
Through the 70’s and 80’s, China’s economy had its
ups and downs and it continued to experiment more
and more with a market based economy (capitalism).
In 1992 the government of China gave the economy a
giant kick start that has led to the enormous growth
China is still going through today. In 2001 China
joined the World Trade Organization (WTO)
committing itself to further economic liberalization.
While the Chinese people have been getting more and
more economic freedom, there has been no changes in
terms of political freedom.
Mr.
Weiss
China
December
11, 2006 –
New York
Times
Upfront
Magazine
Mr.
Weiss
China
December 11,
2006
Bill Gates on the
left and J.P.
Morgan on the
right.
Mr.
Weiss
China