China is the perfect example of what happens when one leader is given to much
power. The leaders of China were each very afraid of social reform, and the
consequences that outside influence may have on their customs. As a means of initiating
reform, they shut the entire Western world out almost completely. At the time it was a
move that served China well but in the long run it was the downfall of China. While
blindfolded, the Chinese were unable to see the great advancements of the Western
world. With an egocentric government, the Chinese citizens were neglected outside of the
palace walls and the country fell to shambles. Instead of stimulating economic growth the
government suppressed it as the rest of the world advanced. While focused on fear of
internal rebellion the Chinese leaders overlooked the status of their army and were not
prepared for the rest of the world as they fell so far behind in almost every advancement.
Had China remained in contact with the Western world it would have been possible for
them to be as advanced a civilization as the Western world.
As the Chinese government had their head buried in the sand with worry over
losing control of their empire, they neglected to maintain the basic essentials of a
functional country. All of China’s canals eventually decayed as they were left unrepaired
for years, the ironworks that China once prided itself one became obsolete with out a
second look, and the army itself was no match for any Western army. The merchants
were of no avail to the poor Chinese civilians as their profits on land and education.
Upon shutting out the rest of the world China had forbidden the use of a printing press.
The expression of social criticism and news of the outside world was banned. The people
of China had no idea what was happening. When the doors had been shut from the
outside world Europe was not as highly advanced as China. Europeans lived in crowded
cities with rodents and foul odors. The Chinese for a period of time lived with the fresh
scent of flowers and tea. As China internally decayed the citizens had nothing to compare
it to for they had always been ahead of Europe in almost everything for so many
centuries.
After the thirteenth century Western civilization flourished. In Western Europe the
governments encouraged industrial growth and individual commerce as a means of
keeping ahead of the competition. With each distinct country competing with each other a
variety of individual trades were created eventually sparking the Industrial Revolution.
As a result of heavily trading around the world, each country became very wealthy, and
as such their internal economies grew. In Great Britain without government suppression
on individual companies they were able to build the most powerful navy in the world, and
colonize in many different countries. As China was suffering from economic rot, they
paid no attention to the world around them. They did not realize that the rest of the world
was waiting to conquer China and divide the winnings. When Chinese officials refused to
continue trading with the British they initiated the Opium Wars. The final result of the
Opium War was almost devastating. They were forced to sign an unfair treaty with
Britain. Under the treaty, the opium trade was legalized and the Guangzhou monopoly
was ended as Xiamen, Ningbo, Fuzhou, and Shanghai was also opened to trade. The
island of Hong Kong became a British base and Britain established the right to supervise
and inspect a published tariff structure on China’s trade. Finally, China, already reeling
from trade imbalance, was compelled to pay a war indemnity of $21 million.
China was very focused on keeping the Japanese and Portuguese pirates away
from their shores. While they were distracted every other European country continued to
build their armies at a rapid speed. With new technology, the Western world left China
behind and continued to invent more lethal weapons. As China was busy fighting off
predators they had no extra time to keep up. As all of their iron factories were obsolete
they had no cost, efficient method. Because of their military weakness they lost all of the
Opium Wars which resulting in crippling economic losses. Thinking that things couldn’t
get worse internal upset led to the Taiping Rebellion, which resulted in the deaths of
twenty million people. The loss was yet another drastically unfavorable blow to the
Chinese economy. Shortly following the Taiping Rebellion the Sino-Japanese War of
1894-1895 further damaged China. The rest of the world was just waiting to take a piece
of China at this point. The Boxer Rebellion only made their situation worse. The Chinese
needed reform and fast. It wasn’t until January first, 1912 that Dr. Sun Yat-sen was to be
sworn in as the first president of the provisional government of China’s new Republic.
Crippling defeat during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95
It was ignorant on China’s part to assume that Europe wouldn’t try to colonize
their country. Had China not shut out the Western world they would have been able to
keep advancing their army’s equipment. As a result they might have been able to fight off
the British and the French during the Opium Wars. The Russian’s would have been
happy to assist in return for a trading agreement. Fortunately China ended up with a new
Republic and managed to maintain order and participate in the last years of the
Industrial Revolution. In closing, had China not shut out the Western world as a means of
defense they might have been one of the leading countries in the world today.
Другие работы по теме:
China Essay Research Paper It seems strange
China Essay, Research Paper It seems strange to me that I have underestimated China’s economic power for all this time. After reading and doing the site work, I have concluded that China is in fact a very powerful nation with a vast supply of natural resources and material goods. The amount the country exports to others astonishes me.
Social Ills Essay Research Paper Every society
Social Ills Essay, Research Paper Every society of every civilization known to man has had its share of social ills. Even dating back to biblical times people have struggled with an ever-increasing number of hardships. All of which have led to the downfall of its social structure. As we all know, nothing lasts forever, but with the help of strong minds and able bodies, societies can curb their ills and ?clean up their act?.
Theme In A Pair Of Tickets Essay
, Research Paper Amy Tan s A Pair of Tickets is the account of Jing-mei, an American woman on a pilgrimage to China to meet her half-sisters, abandoned by her mother in China during World War II. Jing-mei s mother always hoped of reuniting with her daughters she left behind long ago, but she died of an aneurysm before the opportunity arose.
Deng Xiaopeng Essay Research Paper Deng XiaopengDeng
Deng Xiaopeng Essay, Research Paper Deng Xiaopeng Deng Xiaopeng was a good leader for China though at times Deng hit some bumpy roads and was said to infringe some of the Chinese rights still Deng controlled China with order and efficiency. Deng raised China?s economy to national high all around. Deng also strengthened its political status up to that of a very powerful country.
China Essay Research Paper Population
China Essay, Research Paper Population China is the third-largest country in the world. The population of China is 1222,017,000 and growing. Because of this enormous population the government offers
China Reforms Essay Research Paper Section II1
China Reforms Essay, Research Paper Section II 1.) There have been numerous attempts to reform China in the late 19th century to build up China’s strength and make it a world power once again. There have been many prestigious intellectuals and organizations that have attempted to do this. One of these intellectuals who had a great influence on other reformers was Yan Fu.
Shangeid To China Essay Research Paper The
Shangeid To China Essay, Research Paper The book is about a boy named Neil who came down to Liverpool to stay with his grandparents . While Neil was there, he snuck out of the house and went to the waterfront.There he stopped to
The Great Wall Of China Essay Research
Paper The Great Wall of China By: Leonard Everett Fisher King Cheng became Ch in Shih Huang Ti and was the first emperor. China at this time was hard to manage. Since there were many different old kingdoms, each had it s own system of weights, measures, money, and writing. Shih Huang Ti decided to make these systems of weights, measures, money, and writing the same for everywhere in China.
Is President Bill Clinton A Tragic Character
Essay, Research Paper Is President Bill Clinton a Tragic character? A tragic character is someone who is basically good, strong, intelligent, and not a martyr. A tragic character must have good fortune and be successful. A tragic character must also possess a tragic flaw, which in an attribute that would lead to a downfall.
China 5 Essay Research Paper Commentary on
China 5 Essay, Research Paper Commentary on China The press in China has come a long way since the CCP took over the Chinese government in 1949 and it will continue to expand it’s freedom as we go into the 21st century. They were denied the right of freedom of speech and freedom of the press for all those years, that now the Chinese people have a hunger for information and knowledge of other countries culture and industrialization.
Nath Essay Research Paper Nathaniel Hawthornes short
Nath Essay, Research Paper Nathaniel Hawthorne?s short stories ?The Birthmark? and Rappaccinni?s Daughter are both tragic tales of women being taken advantage of. In each account a young woman is skillfully led to her downfall by a loved one she trusts. In each case Hawthorne includes an inconceivable innocence about the woman.
Chinese Kites Essay Research Paper The Kite
Chinese Kites Essay, Research Paper The Kite: China, Fifth/Fourth Century BC. Two kitemakers, Kungshu P’an who made kites shaped like birds which could fly for up to three days, and Mo Ti (who is said to have spent three years building a special kite) were famous in Chinese traditional stories from as early as the fifth century BC.
China Boy Essay Research Paper Megan hinted
China Boy Essay, Research Paper Megan hinted that slapping children in the face was not Chinese. “We are not in china, Megan,” Edna would say through her teeth. “That is precisely the point I am striving to make.” (Page 97)
Who Is Most To Blame For Macbeth
’s Downfall? Essay, Research Paper Who Is Most To Blame For Macbeth’s Downfall? I have chosen to write my essay about the cause of Macbeth’s downfall. I believe Macbeth had an immense build up of hatred inside him waiting to be
Taiwan Perspective Essay Research Paper Comment critically
Taiwan Perspective Essay, Research Paper Comment critically on at least two Taiwan futures. As United States policy states we support the “one China” idea but we will defend Taiwan if mainland China begins to attack. Thereby putting us at war with China. Taiwan would then be a free state, assuming we control and win the war, but at what cost to America? And for how long?
ChinaTaiwan Essay Research Paper After the fall
China-Taiwan Essay, Research Paper After the fall of the Qing Empire, nationalists, known as the KMT established the Republic of China. However the KMT was rife with corruption, and a new faction inspired by Russian communist ideology soon emerged to struggle for power. After World War II, the clash between the KMT and the communists continued.
Bubonic Plague Essay Research Paper THE SPREAD
Bubonic Plague Essay, Research Paper THE SPREAD OF THE BUBONIC PLAGUE Many have been affected by the plague that has traveled from China – Europe. The plague was said to be carried by rats and fleas, say reasearchers. This plague is known in other places as The Black Death.
Essay On Tragic Characters From Antigone Essay
, Research Paper After examining the play, Antigone, for tragic characters, it is seen that there could be many different possibilities. One character is clearly shown to be the tragic character
A Trip To China Essay Research Paper
I went to China at 4th April, with my grandma and grandpa. That day, we got up at 7 o*clock in the morning. We went on the ship at 9:40am. When we reached China, we saw our relation, they saw us and helped us to carry the luggage. They are very kind to us.
Untitled Essay Research Paper Sand Pebbles essay
Untitled Essay, Research Paper Sand Pebbles essay The movie Sand Pebbles focus was on the flag. The flag was not only a symbol of a nation, but of nationalism, militarism and imperialism. During the 1800’s and early 1900’s there was a severe foreign influence in China. During this time period the European nations wanted to trade with the Chinese, but the Chinese had no interest in the European products for at the time China was self sufficient.
Macbeth Essay Research Paper The Downfall of
Macbeth Essay, Research Paper The Downfall of Macbeth Macbeth’s love for Lady Macbeth, in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, caused Macbeth to feel the need to prove his manhood, which eventually lead to his downfall. Macbeth was not secure in his manhood, so he felt the need to prove himself to Lady Macbeth.
Macbeth Downfall Essay Research Paper In Macbeth
Macbeth Downfall Essay, Research Paper In Macbeth there were a few factors that contributed to the degeneration of the Macbeth character. There were three factors that destroyed Macbeth. The main
Compare And Contrast Macbeth
’s And Hamlet’s Madness Essay, Research Paper Madness can be described as an internal flaw that both characters, Hamlet and Macbeth, possess. Although their madness is different in some aspects, it can be said that
Facts About China Essay Research Paper Facts
Facts About China Essay, Research Paper Facts About China 1.)21% of China’s population live in urban areas and 79% live in rural areas. 2.)China’s national anthem is the “The East is Red.” 3.)The capital of China is
Sun YatSen Essay Research Paper Sun YatSen
Sun Yat-Sen Essay, Research Paper Sun Yat-Sen helped the growth of Nationalism during the early 20th century. After experiencing and studying in Hawaii, he got a taste of what the western world was like. Sun wanted to help westernize China to keep up with the world s technology and economy. His goal was to nationalize China.
Should Canada And The Us Trade Essay
, Research Paper Should Canada and the US trade with China? With all the civil rights abused in China, should the Canada and the US be trading with them? In the view of one side, we should not trade with China because of these abused rights. It is thought that if we stop all trade with them, we will have an impact on their economy and they will at least cut down on their civil rights abuses in order to regain our trade and economy.
Politics In China In 1900
′S Essay, Research Paper POLITICS IN CHINA IN EARLY 1900′S The politics in China varies to republic and nationalism and communism. First of all, there is Republican China which evolved very
China And Taiwan Essay Research Paper The
China And Taiwan Essay, Research Paper The prospect of China’s eventual reunification with Taiwan is, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesman insists, “purely an internal affair of China’s.” A report that China has been using American scholars to send bellicose messages to Washington about Taiwan is, he says, “entirely groundless.” Yet as campaigning gets underway in Taiwan for the island’s first-ever direct presidential election, scheduled for March 23, concern is rising in Beijing over Taiwan’s hunger for international recognition and its apparent cooling toward the notion of eventual reunification with the mainland.
What I Know About China Essay Research
Paper What I know about China China is located around Mongolia, Russia, Nepal, Laos, East China Sea, South China Sea, and Myanmar. A better described location
The Witches Are Responsible For What Happens
To Macbeth Essay, Research Paper Although Macbeth does take actions that lead to his downfall, I believe that he is not totally responsible for what happens. Although he takes the action that leads to his downfall, he perhaps would not have done this if the witches had not told him that he would be king in Act 1 Scene 3.
China Essay Research Paper China is the
China Essay, Research Paper China is the 4th largest country in the world. China is located in eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam. China is slightly smaller than the United States. About a fifth of all the worlds population lives in China.
Democracy In China Essay Research Paper During
Democracy In China Essay, Research Paper During the 1980?s, China came under the rule of a new man. His name was Deng Xiaoping. China?s culture and views on trade were greatly influenced by Deng, yet he failed in establishing a democratic China. Contrary to many people?s beliefs, Deng did not create any democracy in China.