TRN410H1 Lecture 2: China
30 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Leadership matters over the course of political development. Ford is a veteran of the state department. Attempting to bring in a high level theoretical outlook on how china views itself. Nation state attempting to get a sense of unity. China had previously been an empire, mandate of heaven. Similar to the divine right of kings in the west. China is struggling to define itself in that world where there are other powers making similar claims. China had experienced since mid-19th century, the century of humiliation. Expansion of european colonial powers, forcing china into unfair treaties. Resenting the foreign influences occurring at that time. Before wwi, the fall of the manchu/ching dynasty. Establishment of the chinese republic in 1911. Mao zedong intellectual lamented that china had disintegrated and lost its position. Trying to find means of restoring china"s position. China needs to move away from its position. Must adopt western ideas but be uniquely chinese.
