The so-called "Chinese Revolution" refers to two moments in China's history:the Chinese Revolution of 1911 and the Chinese Revolution of 1949.
The Chinese Revolution of 1911 , also called "Nationalist Revolution" or "Xinhai Revolution", took place in October of that year and marked the end of the dynastic period in the country.
The movement was sparked by nationalist revolutionaries who removed the Qing (or Manchu) dynasty from power, establishing the Republic of China.
It was led by doctor Sun Yat-sen who was elected the first president of the Chinese Republic.
The Chinese Revolution of 1949 , also called the "Communist Revolution", had as its main characteristic the seizure of power by the communists.
The country came to be called the People's Republic of China with Mao Zedong as the head of the country. From there, China was transformed into a communist country.
Understand more about Communism.
Chinese Revolution of 1911
The Qing Empire was marked by a series of foreign invasions in the 19th century. Four major battles resulted in the handing over of territories and concessions to foreigners.
These were the two Opium Wars (between 1839 and 1860), the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905).
In the Opium Wars, China lost part of Hong Kong and was forced to open ports to international trade. The British also demanded free movement within Chinese territory.
For the Japanese, China lost Manchuria and Taiwan Island. The lack of these territories was decisive for the loss of sovereignty over Korea.
Another blow was the Russo-Japanese war, as the Japanese demanded the territories of Northeast China. Another important event was the War of the Boxers (1899 and 1900), which aimed to combat foreign invasion of the country.
All these events fed nationalist currents and stimulated revolutionary ideas. The Qing Emperor even attempted in 1906 a constitutional reform to maintain control over the people. He also acted in the modernization of the armed forces and even in the decentralization of power.
In 1905, leader Sun Yat-sen founded the Nationalist Party called “Kuomintang ”. The party was opposed to the monarchy and above all to European domination in the country.
Decline was inevitable and the revolutionary alliance replaced the Empire. The nationalist revolt, with strong socialist tendencies, was only successful in 1911.
However, it is worth remembering that there was resistance on the part of rural landowners and the communists. For this reason, the country was plunged into civil war for years. This scenario got worse and worse, especially with the death of the leader Sun Yat-sen, in 1925.
In 1927, General Chiang Kai-shek was in charge of leading the nationalist party created by Sun Yat-sen. As a result, the persecution of communists and landowners who opposed the system grew.
There were years of conflict until the communists, led by Mao Zedong, took power in 1949.
Chinese Revolution of 1949
The Communist Revolution of 1949 begins with the seizure of power by the Communists. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was made official with Mao Zedong elected head of the country, who ruled until his death.
This period became known as the "Age of Mao Tse-tung" which took place between the years 1949 to 1976. From that moment on, several reforms were established for China to become a communist country.
Among the most important reforms are:state control of the economy and the collectivization of land through agrarian reform.
The situation in the country was precarious. After years of Civil War, people were dissatisfied and hunger and unemployment were recurrent.
In 1950, Tibet was taken, which was annexed to China. Communist China played a leading role in the Korean War (1950-1953), being an ally of North Korea, also communist.
Supported by the Soviet Union, China has undergone several social changes such as the emancipation of women and equality between the sexes.
The project called "The Great Leap Forward" was proposed in 1958, years after the death of communist revolutionary Stalin in 1953. The plan's main objective was to modernize the country, and consequently, its economy.
However, the project was considered a failure, which led to riots and the death of many peasants who died of starvation. In addition, the economy has become increasingly weakened and disorganized.
In 1966, the "Chinese Cultural Revolution" intended to recover the country's ideology after the failed project and the death of thousands of people.
Spearheaded by Mao Zedong, the movement lasted a decade. It ended with his death in 1976. After this event, China proposes economic opening with other countries in the world.
Learn more about the supreme chief of the Communist Revolution:Mao Zedong.
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