Transcript How successful were the Late Qing Reforms?

How and Why did the Late
Qing Reforms fail?
L/O – To identify and evaluate the reasons why the
Late Qing Reforms failed
Introduction
• The Late Qing Reforms were a series of
reforms instigated by Cixi and the Imperial
Court between 1901-1911.
• They were another attempt to revive the
Qing dynasty but ultimately failed, leading
to the 1911 Revolution.
• The emphasise of the reforms was on
turning China into a constitutional
monarchy in the hope that the Qing
dynasty would continue. However the
reforms were mostly insincere, accelerating
the growth of Chinese nationalism and the
revolutionary movement.
Impact of the Boxer Rebellion
• The Boxer Rebellion was a blow to
conservatism within the Court. Whilst
on the run to Xi’an, Cixi in August 1900
issued a decree blaming herself for
China’s misfortune!
• She finally realised that reforms were
essential if the Qing dynasty was to
survive. She even proclaimed a desire to
institute reforms of her own.
• In January 1901, she issued a statement
calling for advice on reforms to offered.
Cixi’s Reforms
• Many reform-minded officials like
Zhang Zhidong and Li Hongzhang
submitted reform proposals to the
Court.
• Zhang Zhidong wrote 3 memorials
calling for educational reforms,
government reforms and more
‘Western Methods’.
• Cixi completely agreed to these
wholesale reforms, similar to the one’s
she stopped in 1898!
Zhang Zhidong
“Unless we cultivate
talents, we cannot expect
to exist. Unless we
promote education we
cannot cultivate talents.
Unless we reform civil
and military
examinations, we cannot
promote education.
Unless we study abroad,
we cannot make up
deficiencies of education
[at home].”
Zhang Zhidong, 1901
Abolition of Old
Offices
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Dismissals of useless clerks and attendants in government offices (May 1901)
Termination of the sale of office (August 1901)
Abolition of the governorships of Yunnan and Hupeh (December 1904)
Creation of New
Offices
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The Superintendency of Political Affairs (April 1901)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs to replace the Zongli Yamen (July 1901)
The Ministry of Commerce (August 1903)
The Ministry of Education (December 1905)
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Military Reforms •
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Termination of military examination (August 1901)
Creation of provincial academies (August 1901)
Establishment of the Bureau of Military Training (December 1903)
Training of new armies in Beijing by Yuan Shikai
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Abolition of the government examinations (August 1905)
Orders to provincial authorities to select students to study abroad (Sep 1901)
Transformation of provincial academies into colleges, prefectual schools into
middle schools, district schools into elementary school & new curriculum
Social Reforms
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Permission of marriages between the Manchus and the Chinese (Feb 1902)
Liberation of women from foot-binding (Feb 1902)
Prohibition of opium (Sep 1906)
Other Reforms
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Promotion of railway construction (June 1901)
Provincial taxes on tobacco and liquor (Dec 1903)
Reduction of expenses in the palaces (June 1904)
Educational
Reforms
Cixi’s Reforms
• Between 1901-1905, the reforms were
carried out but they had little success.
• There was still resistance from officials
in some provinces and the reforms
were seen as insincere due to Manchu
and anti-Chinese appointments
amongst the new ministries.
• In secret Cixi was still against reforms,
prompting Zhang Zhidong to
comment:
“I have heard that the
inner circle [Cixi] does
not like to speak of
Western ways. Your
telegram also advises us
not to imitate the
superficialities of
Western methods so as to
avoid criticism. I cannot
but respond with a long
sigh of resignation. If the
situation is really so, then
the two words
‘institutional reform’
have not yet hit the
proper target. It is still
useless, and ultimately,
China will perish.”
Zhang Zhidong, March
1901
The Constitutional Movement: 1905-11
• In 1905 the Qing reforms received a
boost from the growing movement for
Constitutional Reform.
• The defeat of the autocratic Western
monarchy of Russia in 1905 by the
Oriental Constitutional Monarchy of
Japan was like a bolt from the blue.
• The victory of Japan seemed to prove
once and for all that constitutional
change was necessary in China if it was to
survive. The idea of constitutionalism
caught on like wildfire.
The Constitutional Movement: 1905-11
• Calls for a Constitution grew louder,
supported by many reformers in exile
like Liang Qichao in Japan who
advocated nationalism and a
constitutional monarchy through his
magazine: ‘The New People’s
Miscellany’ (1902-07)
• He also set-up the Political
Information Society which secretly setup Constitution Protection Clubs
across China. These pressurised the
Court into constitutional reform.
Liang Qichao
The Constitutional Movement: 1905-11
• From Dec 1905-Jul 1906, the Court sent a
mission of Manchu princes and nobles
abroad to investigate foreign political
systems in UK, USA, Japan & Europe.
• They returned advocating a Japanesestyle Constitution within 5 years. Cixi
actually approved this recommendation
in September 1906.
• However! It was only in August 1908 that
the Court issued an ‘Outline of
Constitution’ and then a further 9 years
before it would be enforced! The Court
was dragging its feet…
The Centralisation of Manchu Power
• Many reformers became disappointed.
Cixi was clearly delaying the Constitution
and the Constitution only served to
concentrate powers amongst the ruling
Manchu class.
• All Executive, Judicial and Legislative
Power would remain in the hands of the
Emperor. The new Parliament would only
‘consider’ laws.
• Between 1907-1908, the Court also
began curbing the powers of provincial
Chinese officials, replacing them with
directly appointed Manchu officials.
The Death of Cixi
• The delays to reforms suddenly
stopped on the 15th November 1908
with the death of Cixi. Emperor
Guangxu had mysteriously died the
day before!
• Her grandnephew, Puyi, became
Emperor with his father, Prince Chun
as regent.
• Prince Chun immediately forced Yuan
Shikai out of government, blaming
him for the betraying his brother in
1898, Emperor Guangxu.
Prince Chun & Puyi
Reforms under Prince Chun
• Prince Chun’s reign began with promise,
ordering the establishment of Provincial
Assemblies in February 1909.
• However he continued to protect
Manchu power and slowed reforms. 3
times in 1910, representatives of 16
provinces went to Beijing to petition for
the creation of a national parliament.
• Each time he and the Court sent them
away, leading to the belief that Qing
dynasty had no real desire to reform.
Prince Chun
Reforms under Prince Chun
• This belief was confirmed in May
1911. Prince Chun organised the
creation of a ‘Royal Cabinet’. 5 out of
its 13 members were relatives, 8
Manchus, 1 Mongolian and only 4
Chinese officials!
• The Provincial Assemblies complained
to no avail. It seemed that
Constitutionalism and reform was
impossible under Manchu leadership.
Revolution, which broke out in
October 1911, appeared to be the
only way.
Prince Chun
Why did the Reforms Fail?
1. Economic Conditions – From 19001911, government spending
doubled but income remained the
same. The Boxer Indemnity was also
draining funds, therefore reform
projects ran out of cash.
2. Insincerity of Reforms – Cixi, the
Court, Prince Chun and Conservative
officials all used the reforms and
constitution to further centralise
Manchu power, rather than
genuinely reform the government.
Why did the Reforms Fail?
3. Provincial Interests – The creation of
Provincial Assemblies in 1909 before a
National Assembly had been created
only fuelled growing independence in
the regions. The creation of regional
armies only accelerated this.
4. Revolutionary Sentiment – Educational
reforms had created a new class of
nationalistic Chinese students and
intellectuals who were aware of the
insincerity of Qing Reforms and had no
voice in government. Revolutionary
and anti-Qing politics appealed to
them more.
Sun Yat-sen
Plenary
1. What were the causes of the Late Qing Reforms?
2. What were Cixi’s motives in initiating reform?
3. What were the main reforms between 1901-1905?
4. Which event launched interest in Constitutionalism?
5. Why did Constitutionalism appeal to Cixi and the Court?
6. Why did Constitutionalism appeal to Chinese people?
7. Why did the Reforms fail?
8. Could the reforms have stopped the 1911 Revolution?
Did we meet our learning objective?
L/O – To identify and evaluate the reasons why the
Late Qing Reforms failed
Paper 3 - Exam Question 1 (2003)
• “The reforms introduced by China’s Qing dynasty between
1901 and 1911 hastened its end instead of saving it.” How
far do you agree with this statement? (20 marks)
Award up to [7 marks] for a narrative account or list of reforms between 1901 and
1911. For [8 to 10 marks] expect some awareness of the events which changed
the views of the Empress Dowager Cixi (Tz’u-h’si) and other senior Manchus – the
foreign occupation of Beijing (Peking) during the Boxer Rebellion and Japan’s
defeat of Russia – which resulted in the introduction of constitutional reform in
1905. These reforms were cautious. For [11 to 13 marks] expect some analysis as
to why this was so and for [14 to 16 marks] expect also analysis of their effects. By
creating provincial assemblies before a national legislature, the reforms provided
loci of opposition and the revolution of 1911 with a cloak of legitimacy. For [17+
marks] expect a well-balanced analysis backed by sound historical knowledge of
the shortcomings of the reforms themselves and their failure to dampen down the
revolutionary movement or to win support for the dynasty.