The Xinhai Revolution and the Social Context of Late Qing and Early Republic

Author: Rao Huaimin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Why did ancient China have a brilliant civilization? Why did modern China always suffer setbacks? What were the reasons for China's modern decline? Why did the various salvation plans proposed by China's intellectuals and patriots in the face of severe national and social crises always fail? Third, criticizing cultural authoritarianism, advocating freedom of thought, and promoting the liberation of people's minds are key to modernization.
With the strengthening of autocratic rule in politics, it inevitably leads to the strengthening of cultural and ideological authoritarianism, inevitably hinders the development of science and technology, as Sun Yat-sen said: "Most political books cannot be read; the publication of newspapers is especially strictly prohibited. Therefore, except for their own country, how are the major events in the world and the people, they do not know. The laws of the country are not accessible to the common people. Books on military affairs are not only forbidden, but researchers may even be sentenced to death. As for the creation of new machines and the invention of new knowledge, people, fearing capital punishment, rarely dare to engage in it." Sun Yat-sen cited a large number of facts to illustrate the reactionary nature of cultural authoritarianism implemented during the Qing Dynasty. It made people's minds unfree and caused great spiritual suffering, with profound and far-reaching harm. He even believed that this was a major source of disunity, contributing to the "disintegrated state" of old China. He analyzed: "The 400 million people of China are like a pile of sand—is this something that is naturally so?" It is because the Chinese people have long suffered from the "poison of autocracy." During the Qing Dynasty, "there were strict prohibitions on gatherings and no freedom of speech, leading to the formation of bad habits and the destruction of our tendency to be sociable and our ability to unite. This is the reason for the appearance of the 'sand-like' phenomenon." He also said: "In the Manchu era, gatherings were forbidden, and writing could lead to imprisonment. Accidental words could result in execution. People's freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, and freedom of thought were completely stripped away for over 260 years. It is a blessing that the race has not been exterminated, and how can we expect their hearts to be united and their collective strength to flourish!"
Therefore, ignorance is a major enemy of economic construction, and promoting the liberation of people's minds is key to modernization. Sun Yat-sen had already elaborated on this principle in his "Letter to Li Hongzhang." He said: "The affairs of the world are not a matter of whether they can be done, but whether there are people to do them. At present, China's decline is indeed due to the lack of capable people, but the more serious problem is the abundance of ignorant people. If there are few capable people, we can still rely on foreign talent to carry things out; but if there are many ignorant people, even if there are capable people to act, the ignorant will certainly obstruct them." "If this incurable disease is not eradicated, even if Yao and Shun were reborn, Yu and Gao would be unable to help." He called on the people of the country to take action, liberate their minds, and bravely break through the net of cultural authoritarianism, thereby overcoming the problems of "disunited hearts and uncoordinated strength." In this way, "it is entirely possible to transform this greatest and best nation in the world into a country that is the most advanced, solemn, prosperous, and happy in the world."