Modern Chinese History and Nation State

Question 1

Define Opium Wars (1839-1860)

Answer 1

First Opium War was a naval war fought between Great British and Qing China. Second Opium War: Weakened China vs. Britain and France. China lost both wars due to British and European dominance.

Question 2

Explain Opium Wars. (1839-1860)

Answer 2

British East India Company grew opium in its colony India and Britain needed to expand it’s market, wanting to sell opium to Chinese. Qing Dynasty had a closed door policy in its command of the imperial “tributary trade” tributary states (Japan, Korea, Vietnam). Great Britain traded illegal opium against Chinese governments mandate. China sought to suppress the primary source of the drug.

Question 3

Significance of Opium Wars. (1839-1860)

Answer 3

Imperialism in the name of free trade. First Opium War led to Treaty of Nanking(1842): ceded territory of Hong Kong to Britain, open up treaty ports, and Qing gov. was forced to allow importation of opium which led to widespread addiction. Led into “century of humiliation” which is unequal treaties between China and foreign powers (Great Britain, France, U.S.).

Question 4

Define Great Leap Forward and Three Years of Hardship (1958-1961)

Answer 4

Deep influence of social evolutionialism that was imported from the West into China. An economic and social campaign launched by Mao to speed up production and industrialization to overtake Great Britain in steel production as well for China to “leap” over the West. Transformation of China from being agricultural to more industrial.
Three Years of hardship is the unexpected massive famine and deaths across rural China by the result of the Great Leap Forward. State extracted from farmers. creation of “communes” where peasants lived together and farmed in military fashion.

Question 5

Significance of Great Leap Froward and Three Years of Hardship (1958-1961)

Answer 5

The famine estimated death range from millions of people. Peasants asked to produce steel, collective labor and exhausted themselves.

Question 6

In what year was the establishment of People’s Republic of China?

Answer 6

1949

Question 7

How is Modernity described?

Answer 7

Ideas of progress, industrialization, market economy growth organized on capitalist principles. A nation state with popular nationalism and representative gov. awareness of individual dignity and rights, literacy and access to info. development of tech.

Question 8

Define Cultural Revolution(1966-1976)

Answer 8

Political movement/revolt against Mao and the consequences of the failure of the Great Leap Forward: Movement to Industrialize China but brought a 3 year famine.
Massive political campaign:targets were enimeis of the people” leaders, intellectuals.

Question 9

Explain Cultural Revolution(1966-1976)

Answer 9

Led by Mao Zedong and used the power of the youth, “Red Guards” which are young middle/HS/College students, very loyal to Mao/movement. Increasing violence - targeted “enemies of the ppl” : Intellectuals, landlords, capitalists resulting in 10 million deaths. Stole weapons from the Ppl’s Liberation Army.

Question 10

Signficance Cultural Revolution(1966-1976)

Answer 10

Bring back power to China as a country: nationalism. Rid China of capitalist politics.

Question 11

Define 1950’s Land Reform.

Answer 11

In rural area, land and houses were confiscated from landlords and divided among the poor peasantry; violence and execution of landlords throughout the country. Confiscation and redistribution. People’s communes: whole villages were combined into a single administrative and productive unit (too big). Hundred flowers movement and anti rightist campaign are political/mass mobilization campaigns. Campaigns often targeted, “enemies of the people” such as landlords, capitalists, intellectuals, counter-revolutionaries.

Question 12

Define Economic Reform Era.

Answer 12

Opening to the west- adopted western style capitalist market economy.
“Four modernizations”
“Socialist Modernization” - De-collective agriculture, allow foreign investment, privatized industries
From making revolution to making money - Put China on path to become world’s largest economy , but also created widespread corruption
“Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” = Euphemism for authoritarian capitalism.
Xiaoping became “paramount leader” in 1978 - reform and Opening .
China calling for democracy and anti-corruption measures.

Question 13

Define Democracy Wall & Beijing Spring

Answer 13

An example of the economic reform er. Demands were civil liberties, economic rights, a higher degree of freedom. Suggested the “Fifth modernization - democracy” no need of emperor, not modernizing tools of dictators modernization of people’s lives.

Question 14

Define 1986 Student Demonstrations

Answer 14

An example of economic reform era, Protest break out at Uni. Science and Tech since the concerns were inflation, corruption, lack of jobs, freedom of speech and democratic representation.

Question 15

Define June Fourth: Three parts.

Answer 15

An example of economic reform era, nationwide democracy movement between April and June 1989n. The Beijing massacre of June 3,4.