The External and Internal Challenges to the Qing Dynasty in the Nineteenth Century - Assignment Example

Question a Why and how did external and internal challenges to the Qing Dynasty in the nineteenth century affect the of Chinese history fromthe middle of the nineteenth century to the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911? The Qing Dynasty that lasted 1644-1912 was one of the greatest empires in China. In fact, the Qing Dynasty was the last powerful empire to rule China. The dynasty had very influential and powerful rulers. Although the rulers of the Qing Dynasty played a critical role in transforming China in the early days, the dynastys influence did not last long due to internal and external issues. This significantly affected the course of history of China as will be highlighted hereunder. The Qing Dynasty was the last powerful empire to rule China. As earlier stated, although it began very well in its bid to transform China into a powerful state, the dynasty encountered various internal and external challenges that impacted negatively on the course of China. Firstly, the dynasty was faced with internal wrangles that created political instability. This made it difficult for China to create a stable government to fulfill Chinas development agendas. Some of the notable internal wrangles that changed the course of Chinese history include the Nian rebellion of 1853-1868; the Mao rebellion of 1850-1872; the Red Turban rebellion of 1854-1857; and the Yunnan rebellion of 1855-1863. Secondly, the Qing Dynasty was characterized by high level of corruption thereby curtailing the developments that had begun to be realized in China. The dynasty also faced the problem of lack of an able Manchu leadership. Lack of strong leadership made it extremely difficult for the dynasty to promote the development of China. Apart from the internal issues, the course of Chinese history was also greatly affected by external factors. Firstly, the defeat of Qing government in the 19th century by foreign powers resulted in the imposition of unequal treaties on China, which greatly impacted negatively on China. For instance, the imposition of the unequal treaties, politically infringed on the national rights of China, thereby resulting in a downfall. Secondly, the imperialism of the foreign economies worsened the social suffering in China. For instance, the increased importation of cheap textile goods from foreign countries by the Qing government resulted in the collapse of most Chinese industries. The Qing dynasty also destroyed the economy of China by promoting unfavorable balance of trade, thereby resulting in the decline of the value of the Chinese currency, which impacted negatively on the economy of China. In conclusion, the Qing Dynasty was the last emperor to rule China. Although the dynasty began on a good note by transforming China, the dynastys impact did not last long due to internal and external problem, which significantly changed the course of history of China. What role did political and economic challenges play in the rise to power and policies of the militarists in Japan in the early twentieth century? Japan is one of the countries where militarism has been a critical element of the rule. This became apparent in the early 20th century when the Japanese affairs were dictated by the military. Everything was under the rule of the military and anyone was not expected to question or criticize what the military leaders said. The following section gives a brief analysis of the role played by the political and economic challenges in the rise to power and politics of militarism in Japan. The rise of military rule in Japan in the early 20th century has mainly been attributed to the political and economic challenges of the time. The political challenges, especially the cabinet law, were an influential factor in the rise of the military rule in Japan. This is because the law gave the Japanese military veto power in the formation of the cabinet. The fact that the Japanese military had the veto power to appoint the cabinet meant that now they had almost universal power to do as they wish in Japan. This happened despite that Japan was already a cabinet country. The Great Depression also played a key role in promoting the rise of militarism in Japan. History shows that Japan was among the countries that were hard-hit by the Great Depression. However, this played to the advantage of the radical elements with the military force in Japan who took the opportunity to advance the desire of conquering Asia, thereby promoting the development of military rule in Japan. In conclusion, Japan is among the countries where militarism has been an element of the rule. Evident shows that the emergence of the militarist in Japan was promoted by the political and economic challenges. These include the cabinet law that gave the Japanese military the veto powers to appoint a cabinet and the Great Depression of the time. Who were the most important Meiji reformers? How and why did their reforms transform Japan? The Meiji Restoration is regarded as a critical moment in the history of Japan. It is believed that it was through the Meiji Restoration that Japan became a powerful nation, both socially and politically. Meiji Restoration by definition was the Japanese social and political revolution that occurred from 1866-1869. The restoration was historical in that it ended the reign of Tokugawa Shogun and ushered in the return of the Emperor. Whenever the term “Meiji Restoration” is mentioned, the names of certain personalities that played a big role in the restoration also come to mind. The first great reformer of the Meiji was Mutsuhito. Mutsuhito was the leader of the movement that pushed so hard to ensure that Meiji was restored. He is also credited for having overseen Japan undergo rapid transformation, such as from being a feudal shogunate state to a very powerful nation in the world. The second leading figure behind the Meiji reformation is known as Sakamoto Ryōma. Ryōma was among the leaders of the movement who ensured that Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown from the reign of power during the Bakhumatsu period. Additionally, Ryōma is credited not only for having played a leading role in ending the Tokugawa shogunate, but also for having contributed immensely in ensuring the restoration of Meiji, particularly in the early days. The third personality remembered for playing a role in transforming Meiji is Takasugi Shinsaku. Shinsaku was a samurai and is said to have played a key role in the early days of the Meiji reformation. The reformers brought by these leading figures helped transform Japan in a big way. Firstly, the reforms helped promote peace and stability in Japan. Secondly, their reforms helped transform Japan by bringing social and political changes in Japan. For instance, the social and political reformed resulted in the abolition of the feudal system of government and introducing the cabinet system. The reformers also introduced economic reforms that opened up Japan for trade with the Western world. Additionally, the reforms also helped transform Japan by enabling the country build a strong military that later propelled Japan onto the global stage. In conclusion, the Meiji restoration was a critical event in the history Japan. However, the most notable reformers of the Meiji included Mutsuhito, Sakamoto Ryōma and Takasugi Shinsaku. Their reforms helped transform Japan socially, economically, politically and militarily. Read More