Political Development in China from 1850 to Present - Essay Example

Political Development in China From 1850 to Present Name Institution Abstract The word China was adopted from the Persian phrase Chin (چین); the word was adopted from Sanskrit word Cina (चीन). The earliest record for the word China was founded in 1516 in a journal written by Duarte Barbosa who was a Portuguese explorer (Barber, 2010, p 194). Though successive dynasties and governments have changed the country’s official name several times, the name (Zhōngguó) is recorded in many ancient texts as early as 6th century BC. However, the current name for the country is recognised as The People’s Republic of China also abbreviated as (PRC) or sometimes it is referred with one name, which is China. The People’s Republic of China is an independent state that is positioned in East Asia (Chan, 2007, p. 385).China is the most heavily populated country in the world with a population density of over 1.35 billion people. Its capital city is located in Beijing; the country is a solitary party state where the communist party heads the central government (Chan, 2007, p. 397). China is the world rated as the second biggest country by land area closely after Russia; it has 9.6 million square kilometres (Macfarquhar, 2006, p. 187). This paper will discuss Сhinа's роlitiсаl dеvеlорmеnt from1850 to present day, giving a more detailed study on the country. China and its history China’s history can be traced back to the ancient civilization; its political, administrative system was mainly based on inherited monarchies also referred to as the dynasties (Pearson, 2008, p. 47). The country thrived along the yellow river in the fertile basin of northern China plains (Leutner, 2002, p. 36). From 221 BC during the rule of Qin dynasty that subjugated a number of states, thereby forming a Chinese empire, the country has undergone reformations and several fracturing for an extended period (Pearson, 2008, p 53). For the past two thousand years, the country has experienced prosperity and decline in its economic structure. China is considered as the country with the most complex economy in the world. According to archaeological evidences, it was believed that early hominids lived in China region around 250,000 and 2.24 million years ago (Qiu, 2006, p. 49). China under the dynastic rule As indicated in early Chinese history, China was ruled by dynastic rule. The Qing marked the end of dynastic rule in China. The rule lasted from 1644 until 1912, which is also referred to as the last imperial dynasty of China (Bland, & Backhouse, 2009, p. 153). China history notes that the dynasty in 19th century experienced western imperialism after the first opium war of 1839 to 1842 followed by second opium war of 1856-1860 with Britain. After the war, China was made to get into the Nanking treaty and sign unequal treaties (Goucher & Walton, 2013, p. 69). With the signing of the 1842 treaty of Nanking, China was required to pay compensation and also allow extraterritorial for foreign national and surrender Hong Kong to be colonised by the British rule. However, after the first famous sino-Japanese war, that took place between 1894- 1985, the Qing China dynasty lost its influence in the cession of Taiwan and Korean peninsula to the Japanese rule (Chan, 2007, p. 407). On the other hand, the Qing dynasty rule began to undergo through internal unrest from its citizens. During the repeated unrest in the dynasty, it is recorded that millions of people died. The main rebellion in the dynasty was the Taiping rebellion of 1850 and 1860 that took place in the southern part of China (Challen, 2005, p. 173). Other major rebellions included the Pulticlan wars of 1855-1867, the Nien rebellion of 1851-1868, Miao rebellion of 1854-1873, the Panthay uprising of 1856-1873 and the Dungan revolt of 1862-1877 (Tang, 2010, p. 57). The dynasty continued to weaken in the 19th century after the immense Chinese Diaspora; alternatively, fatalities were suffered because of vast emigration. Connectively, more conflicts in the dynasty and natural calamity such as the northern Chinese starvation of 1876-1879 also contributed to the weakening of the dynasty (Bland & Backhouse, 2009, p. 47). During this period that the dynasty experienced great famine it was believed that people between nine to thirteen million died. In the year 1898, the emperor of Guangxu drafted a reform plan that was aimed at establishing a modern legitimate monarchy (Leutner, 2002, p. 98). However, he was conquered in a military coup d'état by the emperor Dowager Cixi. This was yet another blow to the dynasty since after one year the ant western boxer rebellion that ended in 1901 led to further weakening of the Qing dynasty (Macfarquhar, 2006, p. 129). In the year 1911, the Xinhai revolution of 1911-1912 ended the Qing dynasty after it had overthrown the Qing dynasty, therefore, led to the institutionalization of the republic of China in 1912 (Leutner, 2002, p. 38). The Republic of China (1912-1949) Early January 1912 the republic of China was established after the dynasty rule was overthrown. During that period, Sun Yat-Sen of the Kuomintang, which was also referred to as the nationalist party, was proclaimed as the provisional president (Leutner, 2002, p. 234). Later on, the presidency was handed over to former Qing general named Yuan Shikai, in 1915 Shikai declared himself as the emperor of China (Liu, 2009, p. 83). Due to his actions of proclaiming himself as an emperor there were opposition and condemnation from the public and his own Beiyang army, this made him abandon his explorer title and re-establish the republic. Yuan Shikai died in 1916 leaving China a fragmented country (Wade, 2007, p. 63). Though the Beijing-based government was globally recognised, it was weak since regional warlords controlled most territories in China (Saich, 2001, p. 95). In the late 1920s, using the infamous Northern Expeditions that involved a series of deft military and political manoeuvring, Chiang Kai-sheik, who was the head of Kuomintang failed to unify the country (Leutner, 2002, p. 37). Chiang relocated the nation’s capital from Beijing to Nanjing and then applied the famous political tutelage; this was an transitional stage of political growth that was summarized in Sun Yat-Sen’s San-Min program (Goucher, & Walton, 2013, p. 39). The program was aimed at converting China into a modern democratic state. Since, during this period, China has experienced adverse political divisions, it was hard for Chaing to fight the communists whom the Kuomintang had been training and perfecting military skills since 1927 during the Chinese civil war (Qiu, 2006, p. 92). The Chinese war, persistent productively for the Kuomintang particularly after the communists movement drew back during the long march until Japanese hostility and the 1936 Xi’an occurrence that made Chiang face imperial Japan (Leutner, 2002, p. 138). During the second sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945, the communist and were made to form an alliance (Leutner, 2002, p. 26). Japanese forces made several war atrocities against the civilian population. It is recorded that about 20 million Chinese civilians died civilians; most brutal killings were made were about 200,000 and more Chinese were butchered in the Nanjing city only throughout the Japanese inhabitation (Barber, 2010, p. 194). However, towards the end of Sino-Japanese war, the Japanese surrendered under the political rule of the republic of China, which almost instantly claimed its dominance. After the war was over, China emerged the victor; however, China was financially drained and war-ravaged(Bland & Backhouse, 2009, p. 87). There was a continued mistrust that existed between the communists and the Kuomintang that resulted to the recommencement of civil war. Constitutional rule was thereafter established in 1947, however, owing to the ongoing turbulence; many provisions of the Republic Of China constitution were certainly not applied in China’s mainland (Chan, 2007, p. 48). The people’s republic of China from 1949 to present the day After the communist party started to rule and took control of most of mainland China, major combat Chinese civil war ended. This resulted to Kuomintang withdrawing offshore, therefore, dropping the ROC s region to only Hainan, Taiwan and their neighbouring islands (Challen, 2005, p. 274). On 1st October 1949, Mao Zedong, who by then was the communist party chairperson, declared the enaction of the people’s republic of China. Later on in 1950, the people’s liberation army movement accomplished the act capturing Hainan from the ROC thereby taking control of Tibet (Goucher & Walton, 2013, p. 194). Nevertheless, the remaining nationalist forces unrelenting to wage a revolution in the western part of China all through the 1950s (Friedman, 2005, p. 195). During Mao’s rule, the population of China grew very rapidly since he encouraged its growth. It is recorded that Mao’s leadership period led to a double population growth from 550 million to over 900 million (Goucher & Walton, 2013, p. 19). However, Mao’s developments, social reform and large-scale economic projects led to an approximate 45 million deaths of civilians between 1958 and 1961 who suffered from hunger. It was during Mao’s leadership that between 1 and 2 million landlords were killed as counter-revolutionaries (Friedman, 2005, p. 82). Mao and his allies commenced the Cultural Revolution in 1966. This move led to the sparking of a political allegation and social turmoil period that lasted until the death of Mao in 1976. On October 1971, China reinstated the republic of China in the United Nations. The country then become a permanent member of the Security Council (Wade, 2007, p. 69). Gang of four were put in prison in 1976 after Mao’s death, the group was answerable for the extremes of the Cultural Revolution (Liu, 2009, p. 83). Deng Xiaoping ascended to power over and guided the country through notable important economic reforms. The communist party then consequently relaxed its strict governmental; rule over its citizens’ individual and private way of life. Alternatively, the communes that previously existed were broken up in favour of private land ownership and leases. Deng enabled the transition of China’s premeditated financial system to a sundry economy with an ever progressing open market structure. Additionally, it was during Deng’s leadership that China implemented its current constitution on 4th December 1982 (Wade, 2007, p. 34). In 1989, there were countrywide aggressive suppression of student's protest, especially in Tiananmen Square, this attracted great criticism, and economic sanctions against the Chinese government from a variety of countries (Macfarquhar, 2006, p. 147). In 1990, the country was led by Zhu Rongji, Li Peng and Jiang Zemin. Under their management, China’s economic performance was able to advance an estimated 150 million peasants from poverty (Tanner, 2009, p. 28). The leaders were able to sustain an annual gross domestic product growth rate (GDP) of 11.2 percent (Saich, 2001, p. 40). In the year 2001, the country formally joined the world trade organization and maintained its high rate of economic growth under the leadership of Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao’s in 2000s (Tanner, 2009, p.74). Nevertheless, the country’s rapid development also brutally affected the country’s income and the environment negatively and caused enormous social displacement. In late 2000s, the living standards of Chinese continued to get better quickly despite the infamous 2000s depression. However, the centralized political rule was made tight throughout the period (Tanner, 2009, p. 59). In 2012, more decent decadal preparation for the communist party leadership projected to change were signified by a factional dispute and governmental scandals. In November 2012, Hu Jintao was replaced as the secretary general of the communist party by Xi Jinping during China’s 18th national communist party congress, (Barber, 2010, p. 53). Chinese government under the leadership of Xi began large –scale efforts to establish reforms in its economy that had previously undergo from structural instabilities and slowing economic growth (Tang, 2010, p. 46). Politics in China China is one of the few still in existence nations in the world with socialist states that openly endorse communism. Sometimes critiques describe Chinese government as socialist communist. (Saich, 2001, p. 38). Most restrictions are noted in free access to the internet; freedom to assemble, free forms of social organization, freedom of the press, right to have children and freedom of religion (Liu, 2009, p. 36). The communist party of China The named party that is also abbreviated as (CPC) rules China. The powers vested in the party are protected in constitution of China. According to the constitution, the electoral system is hierarchical (Qiu, 2006, p. 15). The Chinese political system is highly decentralized where there are regional and sub-provincial leaders with a important amount of autonomy (Friedman, 2005, p. 30). In China, there are other political parties that are referred to as democratic parties; they mainly contribute in the national people’s congress and Chinese people’s political consultative conference (CPPCC). When compared to it’s closed- door policies that existed in the mid- 1970s. The liberalization of China has made, the governmental and political climate being less restrictive than before (Goucher & Walton, 2013, p. 32). The government of China According to Chinese constitution, the Chinese president is the titular head of state. He serves as the overall ceremonial figurehead under the national people’s congress. Alternatively, the Chinaese premier is the governmenthead, he also presides over the state council that are composed of four vice-premiers and the heads of ministries and commissions (Barber, 2010, p. 47). Presently, president Xi Jinping is the president of China, he also doubles as the secretary-general of the communist party of China and the chairperson of the central forces commission, is China’s chief leader. Li Keqiang is the premier and a superior member of the Politburo standing committee CPC, which is China’s top most decision-making body (Challen, 2005, p. 47). Nevertheless, parties retain the efficient rule over the government engagements in any absence of significant opponent. Most political worry in the country include the increasing opening between the rich and the poor and outgrowing government’s fraud. However, according to a national survey done in the year 2011, it was established that Chinese citizens express their satisfaction with the central government (Leutner, 2002, p. 271). Emerging superpower status Currently, China has continued to receive hails as a potential new superpower, this is due to its rapid economic progress, colossal population, a fast growing military might. Additionally, it’s increasing global influences as indications that it will participate in a major international role in the 21st century (Bland & Backhouse, 2009, p. 129). China has made many bilateral agreements, especially with developing African states. However, critics argue that China’s massive economic dominance cannot quantify it as a superpower. This is because it is deficient of the martial and enlightening influences of the United States (Saich, 2001, p. 90). Conclusion The political development of China is attributed to the enterprising nature of Chinese people. Thought their enterprising nature the country has been able to advance in technology, economy, sports, military, agriculture, and education among other fields. China is an important hub for electronics worldwide. 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