HIS102Y1 Study Guide - Chinese Maritime Customs Service, Taiping Rebellion, Zeng Guofan
Document Summary
Serious reform began in the wake of the mid-century disasters which had hit china - Looked at chronologically, the reform was remarkably persistent: self-strengthening c. 1861-95; the 1898 reforms; the qing reforms 1901-11. One could thus say that there was an almost continuous effort at reform from 1861 onwards. By 1911, after half a century of reform . China was subject to more foreign control and imperialism than in 1861. China was weaker internally (and entering the disintegration of the warlord period) There had been a huge increase in western knowledge (the flowering of which was seen in the may 4th movement) and this in turn meant a much greater potential for modernization. There had been significant economic development and the emergence of a new chinese capitalist class. But one must distinguish between absolute strength (comparing china in 1911 with. China in 1861) and relative strength (comparing china with other powers).
