Y3 History essay (Was Cixi the main cause of the Chinese Revolution )

¨Cixi wasmost responsiblefor theChineserevolutionof 1911.¨ Manyfeel that EmpressDowager Cixi wasthebiggest factor for theChineserevolutionin1911, whichwasarebelliontooverthrowtheQingdynasty. For thisassertiontobetrue, it wouldmeanthat Cixi wasthemostsignificant factor whichledtotherevolution. Whileit isundeniablethat Cixi mademanydecisionswhichwereharmful totheQingdynastyasawhole, therewereother factorssuchasthelackof astrongmilitaryandaforeigntradeimbalancewhichplayedmajor rolesinleadingtotheChineserevolutionthat causedthefall of theQingdynasty. Therefore, I thinkthat Cixi isnotthemost responsiblefor thefall of theQingdynastyasthereweremoremajor factorsthat ledtorevolution.Cixi’sarch-conservatismandthirst for absolutepower preventedmuchneededreformsfromstrengtheningtheQinggovernment that wasalreadyonthebrinkof collapseby1908,whichcontributedtothedownfall of theQinggovernment. Manyof thepeopleintheQingcourtwereconservativesandalliesof Cixi, whichhelpedtoconsolidateher power.Oneexampleof reformwhichfailedduetoCixi wouldbethe100daysreform. In1898, withthehelpof senior court officials, tworeformers, KangYouwei andLiangQichaowerepermittedtospeakwiththeEmperor. Thereformsproposedreformswhichwouldlater beknownasthe100daysreform, asthereformshadonlybeencarriedout for approximately100daysbeforetheywereoverthrown. Twogoalsof the100daysreformincludemodernisationof theChinesemilitaryandchangingthegovernment fromanabsolutemonarchy, toaconstitutional monarchy.However, eventhoughthereformswouldmoderniseChina, whichwasrelativelybackwardintermsof technologyandmilitary, Cixi opposedreforms. Withthesupport of theconservatives,Cixi wasabletoopposethereformsandput Emperor Guangxuunder housearrestTherefore,Cixi´sdesirefor power ledher toopposereformsneededfor theimprovement of Chinaandwhichcouldhavepreventedthefall of theQinggovernment.However,after failedreformsandwar defeatssuchasChina´slossintheSino-Japanesewar, Cixi didchangeandallowfor somereform. For example, in1902, theimperial reformswereestablishedwiththeapproval of Cixi. Therewerealsoeffortsmadetoaccept andworktowardsaconstitutional monarchy. Eventhoughthereformswerequitelate, takingplaceonlyafewyearsbeforetherevolution, thereweresomeimprovementstosocietycausedbytheimperialreforms, mainlyonmilitarymodernisation. Therefore, Cixi didmakeaneffort toreform, but thesereformsweretoolateandtoolittletohaveenoughbenefitsonsociety. Despitethis, it wouldbeuntruetoclaimthat Chinawasstagnant asthereweresomelittleimprovementstosociety.It isunreasonabletopinall theblameontoCixi becausetherewereother factorsthatcouldalsobethecausesof theQingrevolution. TherewerealreadydeepseatedproblemsintheQinggovernment. Oneof thedeepseatedproblemswouldbethat therewereinternalmilitaryweaknesses. Chinawastechnologicallyinferior toother countriesintermsof militaryweapons. TheWesternpowershadriflesandgunpowder but theQingarmyfought withswordsandcannons. Theunderdevelopment of China'smilitaryresultedinit beingweaker ascomparedtotheother partnersandcauseditsdefeats. For example, intheSino-Japanesewar,manyexpectedChinatowininsteadof theJapanese. ThiswasbecauseChinahadalargerpopulationandwasamuchlarger countryascomparedtoJapan. However, Japanwonthesino-Japanesewar andclaimedTaiwanandtheKoreanempireasitslands. ThiswasbecauseJapanhadadoptedwesterntechnologiesandundertookreformsandchangestoimprovetheirmilitaryequipment, unlikeChinawhichwasrather stagnant intermsof themilitary. Thedefeat of

theQingarmycausedpeopletolosefaithinthemilitary, astheywereincapableof defendingtheir ownlands. Thisignitedthoughtsof revolutioninthepeopleastheywantedagovernmentwhichcouldprotect thecountryfromforeignpowers, andnot onethat refusedtochange.Hence, thepeoplewantedabetter government whichwouldhelptoimprovethemilitaryinsteadof theweakManchugovernment.Other thanthelackof astrongmilitary, theforeigntradeimbalancewasalsooneof thedeep-seatedproblemsof theQingdynasty. Foreigners, especiallytheBritish, bought goodssuchasporcelain, silkandteafromChina. However, theChinesedidnot liketobuymuchforeigngoods, resultinginatradeimbalance. Therefore, therewasatradeimbalance.However, thischangedat theendof the18thcentury, whentheBritishstartedtosell Opium, ahighlyaddictivedrug, toChina. Quickly, thepeopleof Chinawereaddictedtoopium. Hence,Chinaimportedlargequantitiesof opium. Opiumdrainedsilver out of Chinaandruinedthehealthof theChinesepeople, asnot onlywasopiumanaddictivedrug, it wasalsodetrimentaltoone'shealth. ThisledtotheManchugovernment banningopium. However, thedecisiontobanopiumhadsparkedthefirst opiumwar, in1839. TheBritishwagedwar onChinaasthebanonopiumresultedinlossof profit for theBritish. Asaresult of China'smilitaryweakness, it lostthewar in1842. ThisresultedinChinalosingcontrol over itsports. Beforelosingtheopiumwar,Chinaregulatedtradeusingthecantonsystem. However, after theopiumwar, largeamountsofopiumfloodedintoChinaastradewasnolonger regulated. Thisworsenedtheforeigntradeimbalanceandnegativelyaffectedtheeconomy. At thispoint intime, faithintheQinggovernment wasloweredevenmore, becausetheyweredeemedasincapableof keepingtheeconomyafloat. Hence, thepeoplewantedamorecapablegovernment toleadthecountry,whichsparkedfeelingsof revolution.AlthoughCixi´sinvolvement intherevolutionisundeniable, andher unwillingnesstocarryout reformsdidweakenthecountry, theQinggovernment alreadyhadmanydeep-seatedproblemsthat existedbeforeCixi´srule.. Therefore, it wouldbeunreasonabletopinall theblameonCixi for the1911ChineseRevolutionandpinpoint her asthemaincause.Instead,other longtermfactorssuchasthemilitaryweaknessesandforeigntradeimbalancesshouldbeconsideredwhendiscussingthecauseof revolution.