Liang Qichao, Lu Xun, and Mao Zedong were all key figures in the reforms and establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Liang Qichao is credited with helping to introduce Western ideas and concepts to China. Lu Xun is considered the father of modern Chinese literature, and his work helped to shape public opinion during the early days of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Finally, Mao Zedong was a well-known figure, and his work in both the military and political spheres was instrumental in establishing the People’s Republic of China.
After the First Opium War, the Qing dynasty laid the foundations for republican China and the PRC. The Qing dynasty made several changes in politics, international relations, society, and economy, which laid the foundations for the republican and communist regimes (“Memorials, Edicts, and Laws on Opium”). First, trade boomed, and the establishment of additional ports with the intervention of foreign steered economic growth and trade. Second, China citizens learned that the British were enjoying enormous privileges in their country, which sparked their rebellion against autocracy and foreign domination (Pomeranz, 2000). Second, the Qing dynasty replaced the old Confucian system of government with a more modern government and the Napoleonic code after the First Opium War (Tutorial slides week 2, n.d., Hirata, 2022). These changes laid the foundations for the republican form of government established in 1912. Third, the dynasty established diplomatic relations with several Western countries and signed many treaties.
The treaties established adhered to the principle of equality between China and the Western powers. This principle was later enshrined in the constitution of the republic of China. As stated in the reading “first Clash of wars”, the dynasty encouraged the development of industry and commerce. These changes laid the foundations for the more modern society established in Republican China. The Qing dynasty made a number of changes after the First Opium War (Qiu, n.d.). It established a new currency based on the silver standard and opened the Chinese economy to foreign trade and investment. These occurrences laid the foundations for the more modern economy established in Republican China.
Liang Qichao, Lu Xun, and Mao Zedong were all major reformers/revolutionaries who appeared in the primary sources assigned in this unit. All three of them had different ideas and came from different historical contexts. Liang Qichao was a Chinese thinker, journalist, and reformer who lived during the late Qing dynasty and the early Republic of China. He was influenced by Western thought and focused his ideas on modernizing China. He believed in using science and technology to improve the country and advocated for democracy. Lu Xun was a Chinese writer and thinker who lived in the early Republic of China. He was influenced by Western thought and focused his ideas on social reform (Yan et al., 2021). He believed in using literature to improve society and democracy. Mao Zedong was a Chinese socialist leader who lived during the early Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. Mao Zedong was influenced by Marxist thought and focused his ideas on revolution. He believed in using violence and mobilization to overthrow the government and advocated for Communism.
All three of these men had different ideas about reforming or revolutionizing China. Liang Qichao believed that China needed to modernize to compete with the Western powers. According to De Bary & Lufrano (2001), Qichao thought the Chinese people needed to learn from the West and that the Chinese government needed to adopt Western institutions and technologies. On the other hand, Lu Xun believed that China needed to look inward to find its way forward (De Bary & Lufrano, (2001). He thought that the Chinese people needed to learn from their history and culture and that the Chinese government needed to adopt Chinese institutions and technologies. Liang Qichao’s ideas were a mix of traditional confucianism and Western liberalism, as he advocated for a constitutional monarchy. Lu Xun’s ideas were more radical and called for a complete overthrow of the Qing dynasty. Mao Zedong’s ideas were also radical and advocated a communist revolution. China is the historical context of the primary sources addressing the traits of Liang Qichao, Lu Xun, and Mao Zedong.
Mao Zedong’s economic policy was based on socialism, resulting in greater equality and poverty and famine. Deng Xiaoping’s economic policy was based on reform and opening up, which resulted in increased economic growth and improved living standards. One major change that occurred during the rule of Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong, and Deng Xiaoping was the collectivization of agriculture (Hirata, 2022). This policy was implemented by Mao Zedong in the 1950s and continued by Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s. It led to the creation of large-scale collective farms, which increased production and improved living standards for rural Chinese. However, this policy led to the displacement of millions of peasants and the creation of the poor rural class.
The outbreak of the Chinese Civil War in 1946 ended these reforms. As shown in the End of the dynasty document, Mao Zedong and the Communist Party came to power in 1949 and quickly began implementing their economic policies (Qiu Jin, n.d.). Mao’s government collectivized agriculture, nationalized key industries, and established a planned economy. However, these policies were largely unsuccessful, leading to widespread famine and economic stagnation. In 1978, Deng Xiaoping became the head of China and began implementing a series of economic reforms. Deng’s reforms were much more successful than Mao’s ideologies and helped to transform China into an economic powerhouse. Deng’s reforms included the de-collectivization of agriculture, privatization of state-owned enterprises, foreign trade and investment, and establishment of special economic zones.
Another change during this period was the opening up of the Chinese economy to foreign trade and investment. This policy was initiated by Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s and has led to rapid economic growth and modernization in China. However, in lecture 4, it is indicated that the Xiaoping policies led to increased inequality and environmental pollution. There has also been continuity in economic policy during this period. Additionally, the Chinese government has always attempted to maintain a high degree of control over the economy through state-owned enterprises and the centrally planned economy. The three most influential reformers profoundly impacted the country and shaped the modern Chinese state.
References
“Memorials, Edicts, and Laws on Opium” and “Lord Palmerston’s Declaration of War, February 20, 1840,” from SMC, 94-110.
De Bary, W. T., & Lufrano, R. (Eds.). (2001). Sources of Chinese Tradition: From 1600 through the twentieth century. Columbia University Press.
Hirata K. (2022). ATS3079 Modern China: From the middle Kingdom to Mao and beyond: Reform, revolution, and the end of the Qing, 1895-1912) (PowerPoint Lecture).
Hirata K. (2022). Modern China: The Opium Wars, 1839-60, and their consequences.
Pomeranz K. (2000). The great divergence: China, Europe, and the making of the modern world economy. Princeton University Press
Qiu Jin (n.d.). The end of the dynasty.
Tutorial slides week 2 (n.d.) ATS3079 – Modern China: From the middle kingdom to Mao and beyond – S2 2022 (Lecture).
Yan, Y., Li, Y., & Fu, X. (2021). The three-dimensional logic of the integration of Marxism and Chinese traditional culture. International Journal of Frontiers in Sociology, 3(21), 1-5.