Reform and Revolution: Reflections on a Few Historical Events that Affected China in 1905
Abstract
It is a changeable year for China in 1905, on the one hand, the Qing government was in the final choice to save its regime: the state-owned railway policy was issued and the mission of the five ministers’ going abroad for the study of constitutionalism was made; the six military towns for the Northern Warlords Government’s New Army was built; the Imperial Examination System was abolished and the new education was set up. On the other hand, the bourgeois revolutionaries had grown up gradually through struggle. The foundation of the Revolutionary Alliance and the intense debate against the Royalists helped them move a step closer to democratic republic. At the same time, the international Russo-Japanese War and the withdrawal of the Interest and Power Campaign raised the Chinese people’s nationalism. This series of events together showed a fact that: either the reform of constitutional government or republic revolution, all this shows that a comprehensive reform of the Chinese society had become an irreversible trend of history at that time. Meanwhile, although the reform failed, it taught us a good lesson that merits our consideration. While succeeded the revolution, its unreasonableness still worthy of consideration.
Keywords:1905, reform, revolution, social transformation, reflections
