History of the Self-Strengthening Movement

Study Notes

Self-Strengthening Movement

A movement in late 19th century China aimed at modernizing the military and attracting Western investments in industrial sectors.
Emphasized military enhancements and infrastructure development like railways and factories.

Key Figures

Zeng Guofan: A Qing official known for defending northern China against the Taiping insurgency, advocating for political and economic reforms.
Li Hongzhang: Principal leader in the Self-Strengthening Movement. He assisted Zeng Guofan and developed provincial military forces, arsenals, shipping entities, and educational institutions. Held key government positions until the fallout from the Sino-Japanese War.

Empress Dowager Cixi

Conservative ruler during the Qing dynasty, she wielded significant power while officially serving as Empress Dowager.
Allowed some reforms but resisted changes that threatened traditional structures or her authority.

Corruption Issues

Cixi diverted vast resources meant for naval development to personal projects, primarily the Summer Palace.
Corruption allegations against Li Hongzhang and his associates, who were accused of exploiting industrial resources for personal profit.

Foreign Imperialism

Russian occupation of Ili resulted in treaties imposing financial reparations on China, including the Treaty of Livadia (1879) and Treaty of St. Petersburg (1881).
The Sino-French War posed additional challenges, reflecting China's vulnerabilities.

Confucianist Values

The movement demonstrated a reluctance to comprehensively reform; military reforms were important, but broader political change was minimal.
Educational reforms were limited, resulting in few students studying Western methods abroad.

Conservative Opposition

The Qing court was predominantly conservative, with Empress Dowager Cixi staunchly preserving traditional values.
Cixi’s tolerance of some reforms depended on their non-threatening nature towards conservatism and her power.

Emergence of Warlordism

The Self-Strengthening Movement fostered provincialism under leaders like Li Hongzhang who maintained powerful militaries.
Provincial leaders gained substantial influence, showcased during the Sino-Japanese War when Li's forces engaged Japan.

Significant Failures of Self-Strengthening

Acknowledged failures included lack of sufficient political reform which ultimately led to military conflicts and weakened central authority.

Description

This quiz explores the Self-Strengthening Movement in late 19th century China, focusing on key figures and events that shaped the era. Test your knowledge about important leaders like Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, as well as the movement's impact on modernization and Western investment.