Terms for Page 4 (Chinese Political History) Flashcards
What was the Boxer Rebellion, when was it, and what caused it? Who were the Boxers? Who ended the revolution? Why was it significant?
The Boxer Rebellion was around 1899 and was a reaction to spheres of foreign influence around China, as well as the spread of Christianity. Boxers, a militia group who were self-perceived to be invulnerable to foreign attacks, exerted force over Christians and foreigners. The revolution was quelled by the eight-nation alliance that executed the Boxers. The Qing dynasty was weakened by the revolts and were subject to this first display of Chinese nationalism - a precursor for the Republican Revolution.
What was the Republican/ Xinhai Revolution? When was it? Who was elected president?
The nationalistic revolution that ended the Qing dynasty formally in 1912, when Emperor Pu Yi abdicated as emperor. Sun-Yat Sen was elected as first president of the Republic of China (ROC).
What was the Cultural Revolution? Who executed it and why was it carried out?
Mao Zedong, fearing that Communism was getting watered down, encouraged the youth to adopt a nationalistic and revolutionary behavior and purge the impure aspects of Chinese society, that is, those who did not share the revolutionary behavior/mindset. Military factions of youth called the Red Guard emerged, and children began reporting their parents to the Guard. 400,000 people were reportedly killed. Dang Xiaoping was purged twice during the revolution, which ended with Mao’s death.
Who was Mao Zedong?
A revolutionary librarian who led the Chinese civil war of Communism, overthrowing the ROC. He is the father of Chinese communism and the first People’s Republic of China president. He ran an authoritarian regime that expelled the Japanese from China.
Who was Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is famous for facilitating the return of Hong Kong to China from Britain, and the return of Macau from Portugal.
Who was Hu Jintao?
Pursued international soft power and economic prowess, although being relatively more authoritarian than predecessors like Jiang Zemin.
Who was Xi Jinping?
The current president of the PRC as of 2015 who has healthy ties to Taiwan.
Who is Li Keqiang?
The current premier of China as of 2015.
What is the State Council?
A council that includes the premier and the heads of each government department. It meets every 6 months to oversee the various provincial peoples republics.
What is the National Peoples Congress (NPC)? How many people are in it?
A legislation of 2,987 representatives. The NPC elects the Chinese president, who in turn elects the premier. All members are from the United Front or Chinese Communist parties.
What is the Baum scenario?
The idea that China’s future rests in a continuation along the path of liberalization because of economic pursuits and trade revenues that slowly make China more capitalist. It will become more like Taiwan that it will join back with the island peacefully.
What is the Mearshimer scenario?
The Mearshimer scenario predicts that China’s economic prowess will threaten US security, straining relations. China will force the US out of Asia in a Cold-War style fashion, and Taiwan will be taken, by force, by the PRC.
How many monitors of internet censorship exist in Chinese universities?
500.
How many people does China employ to censor and constantly comb the internet?
50,000.
Who was Jerry Yang, and what was the controversy surrounding him?
The CEO of Yahoo who brought the service to China. A Chinese dissident blasted the regime through his Yahoo email, and when China requested his info from Yahoo, it gave it over. The dissident was punished and Yahoo was internationally criticized and Jerry Yang eventually stepped down.
Who was Ai Weiwei?
An artist and blogger who openly disgraced the Chinese regime. Upon traveling to Beijing, he was detained on the basis of “economic crimes” despite no official charges being pressed. He was badly tortured and beaten during this time and remains a personification of Chinese communist brutality and censorship.
What are BPMs
The means by which people use to get around Chinese internet blocks.
Who was Sun-yat Sen?
The first president of the Republic of China (ROC) and the revolutionary during the Xinhai Revolution who helped overthrow the Qing dynasty.
What are the three principles of the people under the ROC?
Democracy, Livelihood, and Nationalism
Who was Yuan Shihkai?
The succeeding president of Sun-yat Sen who was a military warlord. He focused much on conflict with the invading Japanese and attempted to, but failed, to restore a monarchy.
What happened at Dongzhou?
A power plant was to be built on the land of farmers in Dongzhou. However, no compensation was proposed to be given to these farmers so they revolted in 2005, and dozens of people were killed and/or disappeared.
Who was Li Peng? What was he famous for implementing and advocating?
Li Peng was the 4th Premier of China and was famous for advocating the use of force during the Tiananmen Square protests and coordinated with Deng Xiaoping to enact martial law to quell the protests.
What is the importance of Zhuhai?
One of the original Special Economic Zones (SEZ) created under Xiaoping.
What is the Politburo?
A council of 25 top communist officials who oversee the Chinese Communist party. Many of them retain personal regional influence and are staunchly communist.
What was the Great Leap Forward?
This was enacted by Mao wherein China would industrialize. This led to urbanization and urban migration so that there weren’t enough farmers in China to produce enough food anymore. There were mass shortages and 45 million people died.
