Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1894)

Created by: Meg Bernardo
Created on: 28-02-16 12:57


	Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1894)
	AdvantagesGetting Started Military 1864: Zeng Guofan sent Yung Wing (the first Chinese graduate of Yale) to purchase machines in USA --> build China's first modern weapons factory (arsenal) in Shanghai (1865). 1867: further arsenals were built at Fuzhou 1867: China's first engineering school for studying mechanical skills and navigation 1868: First steamship at Fuzhou 1873: 11 warships were built (under Zeng Guofan) Economic 1861: Prince Gong led the new 'Office for Management of the Business of All Foreign Countries' and began working with his second-in-command Wenxiang to modernise China's foreign relations. 1863: Gong reformed the Imperial Maritime Customs Service (Zongli Yamen) in Shanghai, run by an international staff and led by Inspector-General Sir Robert Hart. 1863: Gong and Zongli Yamen officials started discussions with the British to renegotiate unfair treaties 1868: First steamship at Fuzhou 1872: Li created the China Merchant Steamship Navigation Company in order to stop the domination of shipping by foreign powers 1877: Li expanded the Kaiping Coal Mines near Tianjin 1878: Li built a huge cotton mill in Shanghai 1881: throughout the decade) Li led the construction and enlargement of weapons arsenals in Tianjin 1881: Li led the development of the Imperial Chinese Telegraph Administration and a new dock facility in Lushun 1881: China's first steam train Social 1862: Prince Gong and Wenxiang opened an interpreter's school in Beijing (Tongwen Guan) to teach Chinese students English and French 1867: China's first engineering school for studying mechanical skills and navigation 1867: Despite conservative protests, Gong and Wenxiang converted Tongwen Guan --> full-fledge college teaching Western subjects 1885: Li's establishment of Tianjin Beiyang Military Academy which taught Western military science and was staffed by German officers. Political 1861: Prince Gong led the new 'Office for Management of the Business of All Foreign Countries' and began working with his second-in-command Wenxiang to modernise China's foreign relations. 1863: Gong reformed the Imperial Maritime Customs Service (Zongli Yamen) in Shanghai, run by an international staff and led by Inspector-General Sir Robert Hart. Gong and Zongli Yamen officials started discussions with the British to renegotiate unfair treaties 1881: Treaty of Petersburg with Russia which gave land back to China and secured its long border with Russia	Disadvantages Military, economic and political: defeats in the Sino-French War (1884) and the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) Lack of social and political reforms to ensure sustained support of modernisation efforts in the military and economic spheres. The Western countries were strong because of their strong social and political foundation, which spurred economic and military modernisation. Eg many Chinese officials continued to be corrupt or incompetent --> failure of the reforms as they were carried out inefficiently; lack of social reforms meant that many continued to live in poverty etc
	Evaluation The Self-Strengthening Movement was not a complete failure, with success in its military, economic and educational reforms, as modernisation had been achieved. However, the Movement faced limited success in the social and political spheres because of the lack of reforms in these spheres. China's political system thus continued to be backward, with rampant corruption and incompetence. Among the masses, poverty and discontentment still prevailed. Thus, without a strong social and political foundation, the success of the military and economic reforms was undermined, culminating in China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the end of the Self-Strengthening Movement.

Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1894)

AdvantagesGetting Started

Military
1864: Zeng Guofan sent Yung Wing (the first Chinese graduate of Yale) to purchase machines in USA --> build China's first modern weapons factory (arsenal) in Shanghai (1865).
1867: further arsenals were built at Fuzhou
1867: China's first engineering school for studying mechanical skills and navigation
1868: First steamship at Fuzhou
1873: 11 warships were built (under Zeng Guofan)
Economic
1861: Prince Gong led the new 'Office for Management of the Business of All Foreign Countries' and began working with his second-in-command Wenxiang to modernise China's foreign relations.
1863: Gong reformed the Imperial Maritime Customs Service (Zongli Yamen) in Shanghai, run by an international staff and led by Inspector-General Sir Robert Hart.
1863: Gong and Zongli Yamen officials started discussions with the British to renegotiate unfair treaties
1868: First steamship at Fuzhou
1872: Li created the China Merchant Steamship Navigation Company in order to stop the domination of shipping by foreign powers
1877: Li expanded the Kaiping Coal Mines near Tianjin
1878: Li built a huge cotton mill in Shanghai
1881: throughout the decade) Li led the construction and enlargement of weapons arsenals in Tianjin
1881: Li led the development of the Imperial Chinese Telegraph Administration and a new dock facility in Lushun
1881: China's first steam train
Social
1862: Prince Gong and Wenxiang opened an interpreter's school in Beijing (Tongwen Guan) to teach Chinese students English and French
1867: China's first engineering school for studying mechanical skills and navigation
1867: Despite conservative protests, Gong and Wenxiang converted Tongwen Guan --> full-fledge college teaching Western subjects
1885: Li's establishment of Tianjin Beiyang Military Academy which taught Western military science and was staffed by German officers.
Political
1861: Prince Gong led the new 'Office for Management of the Business of All Foreign Countries' and began working with his second-in-command Wenxiang to modernise China's foreign relations.
1863: Gong reformed the Imperial Maritime Customs Service (Zongli Yamen) in Shanghai, run by an international staff and led by Inspector-General Sir Robert Hart.
Gong and Zongli Yamen officials started discussions with the British to renegotiate unfair treaties
1881: Treaty of Petersburg with Russia which gave land back to China and secured its long border with Russia

Disadvantages

Military, economic and political: defeats in the Sino-French War (1884) and the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)
Lack of social and political reforms to ensure sustained support of modernisation efforts in the military and economic spheres. The Western countries were strong because of their strong social and political foundation, which spurred economic and military modernisation.
Eg many Chinese officials continued to be corrupt or incompetent --> failure of the reforms as they were carried out inefficiently; lack of social reforms meant that many continued to live in poverty etc

Evaluation

The Self-Strengthening Movement was not a complete failure, with success in its military, economic and educational reforms, as modernisation had been achieved. However, the Movement faced limited success in the social and political spheres because of the lack of reforms in these spheres. China's political system thus continued to be backward, with rampant corruption and incompetence. Among the masses, poverty and discontentment still prevailed. Thus, without a strong social and political foundation, the success of the military and economic reforms was undermined, culminating in China's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the end of the Self-Strengthening Movement.

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Report Mon 17th April, 2023 @ 17:11

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Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1894)