Overview: Also known as the self-improvement movement, it refers to the reform movement of "learning from foreigners and strengthening ourselves" initiated by the Westernization School in all parts of the country from 18 1 (Xianfeng started at the end of the tenth year) to 1894. After two Opium Wars, the ruling class of the Qing government called it "Westernization School" on how to solve a series of problems of internal and external troubles.
Reasons for failure: The failure of the Westernization Movement in China at that time was inevitable.
First, the Westernization School tried to use some advantages of western capitalism to maintain feudal autocracy without touching decadent feudal autocracy. The contradiction between this means and the foundation makes the Westernization Movement doomed to be impossible. At the same time, the Westernization Movement was obstructed and destroyed by die-hards all over the country, which increased the resistance to the development of the Westernization Movement.
Second, the class limitations of the Westernization School itself determine that they are not only the founders and operators of modern industry, but also their destroyers and destroyers. Their feudal yamen and bureaucratic system will inevitably lead to the failure of westernization enterprises.
Third, one of the purposes of the Westernization Movement is to resist foreign aggression. However, in conducting diplomatic activities, the Westernization School insisted on "harmony without difference" and compromised and surrendered with foreign countries. The modern enterprises they founded have the function of resisting foreign aggression and benefiting people, but they can't change the semi-colonial and semi-feudal social status of China.
During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the goals of "self-improvement" and "seeking wealth" advertised by the Westernization School failed, and the Westernization Movement basically failed.
Fourthly, at that time, most people in China knew little about westernization, and their thoughts were still in the stage of being bound by ignorance, superstition and feudal ethics.
Lesson: The modern industrial enterprises run by the Westernization School are based on the premise of not changing the feudal relations of production. The enterprises run by the Westernization School have strong external dependence, feudalism and a certain degree of monopoly. Therefore, if the Westernization School wants to set up modern industrial enterprises in China and prepare for coastal defense, it has to be controlled and restrained by imperialism in industrial technology, capital and even management, thus deepening imperialist control over China's politics, military and economy. Westernization also accelerated the cultivation of its own comprador. This kind of enterprises can not only avoid their own bankruptcy fate, but also seriously hinder and inhibit the development of modern national industries in China.
Significance: The establishment of Westernization civil industry partially resisted the expansion of foreign economic forces. For example, in 1872, Li Hongzhang founded the China Merchants Bureau for Ships, so that "the interests of Neijiang offshore will not be completely occupied by foreigners". In more than three years, foreign ships lost13 million, and American flag company was returned to the well by China merchants. After the official weaving layout of Hubei Province was opened, Jianghan Customs imported more than100000 kinds of foreign fabrics every year.
1898 reform movement:
Overview: The Reform Movement of 1898 refers to the bourgeois political reform carried out by the reformists headed by Kang Youwei through Emperor Guangxu in 1898 (the year of the Reform Movement of 1898), which was a political reform movement in China during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1898). In September this year, Empress Dowager Cixi and others staged a coup, Guangxu was imprisoned, and the reformists Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao fled to France and Japan respectively. Six people, including Tan Sitong, were killed, and the political reform that lasted only 103 days finally failed. Therefore, the Reform Movement of 1898 is also called the Reform Movement of 1898.
Reason for failure:
The fundamental reason: it is because the leader of this political reform, the bourgeois reformists (capitalism is not fully developed, which leads to the weakness and compromise of this class, which is embodied in the following aspects) ① the forces are too weak and the stubborn forces are very strong; (2) Lack of strong organization and leadership, relying on an emperor without real power; (3) Reformists have no power and cannot mobilize the broad masses of the people; Have unrealistic illusions about imperialist powers.
(Other reasons: Yuan Shikai is a two-faced man. On the one hand, he pretended to deal with the reformists and tricked Emperor Guangxu into making him an assistant minister. On the other hand, he saw the deep-rooted influence of Cixi and decided to join the old party. He coaxed Tan Sitong away with a lie. )
Lessons learned:
Due to the failure of political reform, China lost a group of elites and supporters who tended to carry out reforms within the original system; On the contrary, he advocated drastic changes and overthrew the original system and government, which eventually led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and the end of China's two thousand-year monarchy. In addition, some ministers who were more enlightened and promising in the imperial court were demoted after the coup, while others were mostly excluded from the central government. Indirectly, it also caused the boxer movement that happened later.
The Reform Movement of 1898 was a patriotic national salvation movement. It is in line with the historical trend of the development of modern China to demand the development of capitalist economy and the expansion of bourgeois regime, so it is also a progressive political reform movement. It spreads the new ideas of bourgeois new culture and criticizes the old ideas of feudal old culture, which is another enlightenment thought.
Significance: The Reform Movement of 1898 is an event of great significance in the modern history of China. The Reform Movement of 1898 was a bourgeois reform movement and a preliminary attempt by the bourgeoisie to change the social system. The reformists tried to establish a bourgeois constitutional monarchy politically and develop national capitalism economically, which was in line with the historical development trend. ② It is a political movement of patriotism and national salvation. At the moment when the national crisis is getting worse, the reformists try to strengthen the country and save the country through reform. We carried out extensive propaganda and agitation, hoping to make China independent, democratic and prosperous through reform, so as to get rid of the aggression of imperialist powers, show strong patriotic enthusiasm and inspire people's patriotic thoughts and national consciousness. ③ The Reform Movement of 1898 was also the liberation of modern thoughts in China. The bourgeois reformists advocated new learning, advocated civil rights and lashed out at feudal thoughts, which opened the way for the vigorous rise of modern thoughts in enlightenment thoughts. It promoted the awakening of the people of China. Many legacies left by the Reform Movement, such as emancipating the mind, changing ideas, establishing societies, setting up schools, starting newspapers and periodicals, advocating women's studies, changing customs, etc. , become a valuable asset in the history of China civilization. The Reform Movement of 1898 was also an enlightenment trend of thought. The reformists advocated new learning, criticized old learning, and made great efforts to promote "the promotion of civil rights", which greatly improved the democratic consciousness and political participation consciousness of the whole society. Democracy has become a surging social trend of thought, which has greatly changed the face of China's ideological and cultural circles. He said that the new bourgeois culture in China was also initially established during the Reform Movement of 1898 and the following years. New bourgeois academic, philosophical, historical, economic and literary theories have sprouted, and "revolution in poetry", "revolution in style", "revolution in novels" and "improvement in drama" have emerged one after another.
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom:
Summary: It was a large-scale anti-Qing movement in China in the middle of19th century. From the end of 1850 to the beginning of 185 1 0, the leading group composed of Hong Xiuquan, Yang, Xiao Chaogui, Feng Yunshan, Wei Changhui and Shi Dakai launched an armed confrontation with the Manchu court in Jintian Village, Guangxi. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), it was numbered "Taiping Tian Kun". Its capital is here. 1864, Tianjing, the capital of Taiping Tian Kun, fell, and Tianguifu Hong, the son and heir of Hong Xiuquan, was captured. 1872, Li Wencai, the last Taiping Army unit fighting under the banner of Taiping Tian Kun, was defeated in Guizhou.
Reason for failure:
Subjective reasons:
First, due to the limitations of the peasant class, although the "China land system" was put forward, it was a fable at that time and could not be realized at all; The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement was vigorous, but China was still a feudal society.
Second, strategic mistakes. After jintian uprising, he lingered near Zijing Mountain for a long time, lacking enterprising spirit; After the uprising, we did not do everything possible to win over intellectuals, and we could not unify anti-Confucius and winning over intellectuals; After the capital Tianjing was established, he went north alone, which was a big taboo for military strategists.
Objective reasons:
1. The joint strangulation of the Sino-foreign coalition government. This is a new situation that has never been encountered in any peasant war in the history of China.
Second, the laws and regulations of the kingdom of heaven are quite strict and the criminal law is cruel. Anyone who breaks the dogma will be sentenced to death, which goes against the revolutionary purpose of saving the world and humanitarianism.
In a word, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement was a great peasant revolutionary war against feudalism and aggression in China's modern history. However, due to the limitations of class and times, the peasant class could not lead the China revolution to victory.
Attachment: Major mistakes
One is the unity of politics and religion, the chaotic power system and the contradiction between theocracy and imperial power.
Second, worship God in prosperity and worship God in death.
Third, the capital is Tianjing, and the feudal system and corruption are gradually emerging.
Fourth, the Northern Expedition and the Western Expedition were like hooligans; Later in the battle, opportunities were missed again and again. There was a major mistake in strategy.
Fifth, the illusion of an ideal society, the interweaving of reality and fantasy.
Sixth, loneliness, internal discord.
Seven, national chaos, social management confusion.
Lessons learned:
The tragedy of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom fully shows that due to the limitations of class and times, the peasant class cannot lead the China revolution to victory. To overthrow the reactionary rule of the Qing government, we must overthrow it in one breath and not give it a recovery period.
While opposing feudalism, we should also oppose capitalist powers. Only by opposing feudal and capitalist forces can we accomplish the task of saving the country and the people. Later, I studied Socialism with Chinese characteristics's revolutionary road.
The failure lessons of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement and the Revolution of 1911 won the final victory. The brilliant achievements of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will always inspire the people of China.
Significance: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was a great anti-feudal and anti-aggression peasant movement in China's modern history. It established political power, promulgated "China Land System" and stipulated reform measures such as land distribution system. This system stipulates that all men and women, regardless of their age, can be assigned to a field, with the aim of establishing "the same farmland, the same food, the same clothes, the same money and the same special envoy, which are uneven everywhere." An ideal society in which no one is hungry. This programmatic document that impacted feudal land ownership is unprecedented. Hong Ren wrote a book "Senior Minister New Chapter", which put forward the idea of imitating western capitalist countries, reforming internal affairs and building the country, reflecting the desire of some advanced people in China to develop capitalism after the Opium War. In the peasant war, he put forward a plan to develop capitalism. This is unprecedented. Taiping Heavenly Kingdom organized a powerful armed force-Taiping Army. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom persisted in fighting for 14 years, and its power developed to 18 province, and it successively captured more than 600 cities. In the defense of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, he defeated foreign invaders and foreign gun teams several times. Near Shanghai, it destroyed more than 65,438+030 enemy camps. One in Zhejiang.
Can be simply described as:
First, the Taiping Revolution reached the peak of the old peasant war in China.
Second, it dealt a heavy blow to the reactionary rule of the Qing Dynasty and accelerated its decline and collapse.
Third, it cracked down on foreign invaders and blocked the process of semi-nationalization in China.
Fourthly, the rebellious spirit of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom inspired the revolutionary struggle will of the people of China.
Fifth, the revolution of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was also a part of the people's revolutionary struggle in the world at that time, which promoted the national liberation movement in Asia and shook the European continent.