The Concept of Nationalism History Essay Research Paper

The Concept of Nationalism
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The Concept of Nationalism
Nationalism refers to a feeling of belongingness into a particular identity. Identity could be ethnic, linguistic or religious. The concept of nationalism in China emerged due to a wide range of ideological sources like Confucianism, Marxism and Western liberalism. In China, nationalism has been subject to various factors like wars, leaders, and relationship with the western countries. Although China has a history of thousands of years, the concept of nationalism is a relatively new phenomenon. This paper will highlight that historical framework of the source of nationalism in China. Next, it will show the phases of nationalism and the various changes that have taken place at each step.[Smith, A. D. (2013). Nationalism: Theory, ideology, history. John Wiley & Sons.]
Before 1912
European nationalism evolved due to the attachment to nation-states by shared ethnic heritage. However, ancient China had long experienced consolidated dynastic rule. Being Chinese did not depend on the idea of the nation being a single unit. Instead, the concept of nationalism was determined by the social idea of Chinese advancement. The legitimacy of dynasties was as a result of their adherence to the basic practices of this civilization. However, this changed when foreigners brought new ideas of Enlightenment to China. The westerns brought the ideas of the nation-state, democratic rule and the exploration of scientific discoveries. At this time, the country found itself in a situation which threatened its sovereignty due to the invasion of the outsiders.[Kohn, H. (2017). The idea of nationalism: A study in its origins and background. Routledge] [Bajoria, J. (2008, April 22). Nationalism in China. Retrieved from /backgrounder/nationalism-china]
The First Opium War (1839-1842)
The United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty fought because to trade. Initially, the demand for Chinese goods was high in Europe which led to trade imbalance between the two countries. In retaliation, Great Britain began auctioning Opium grown in India to China. The influx of narcotics corrected the trade surplus and increased the number of opium addicts in China. In 1839, China rejected the proposals to legalize opium. The Emperor went ahead and banned the drug and confiscated chests of opium. The British government did not have a problem with the ban but raised issues on the manner it was handled. As the conflict ensured Great Britain sent military to China. In 1842, the dynasty signed the Treaty of Nanking which ended the war.[Paulès, X. (2012). Julia Lovell, The opium war: drugs, dreams and the making of China. Basingstoke/Oxford, Picador, 2011, 458 pp. China Perspectives, 2012(2012/1), 75-76.]
The Second Opium War (1856-1860)
The United Kingdom and the French Empire joined forces to fight the Qing dynasty. The British and French fought for the authorization of the opium business and the opening of China to British merchants. The war led to the defeat of China and the subsequent setting up of treaty ports. The foreign traders gained access to Chinese markets and could travel across the country.[Feige, C., & Miron, J. A. (2008). The opium wars, opium legalization and opium consumption in China. Applied Economics Letters, 15(12), 911-913.]
Impact of Defeat on Chinese Nationalism
The idea of China’s glorious past and the humiliation by outside forces worked towards strengthening the need to promote nationalism as a way of strengthening China. Various slogans emerged as a result of the movements. Some people advocated for the return of Qingdao, the boycott of Japanese goods and the need to protect the country. In order to consolidate the idea of Chinese nationalism, Dr. Sun Tat-Sen advocated for national survival as a major theme of Chinese nationalism. He founded the nationalism party (Kuomintang), which brought the idea of nationalism to a larger proportion of the Chinese as opposed to just the political elites. Ideological differences existed regarding nationalism. For instance, Liang Qichao criticized Ta-Sen’s idea of nationalism as one that was based on ethnicity. Qichao advocated for the idea of “great nationalism” that included various ethnic groups in the country.[Zhao, S. (2000). Chinese nationalism and its international orientations. Political Science Quarterly, 115(1), 1-33.] [Schiffrin, H. (2010). Sun Yat-sen and the Origins of the Chinese Revolution. University of California Press.]
Nationalism from 1912 to 1949
May Fourth Movement
On May 4, 1919, a movement of students took place in Beijing to protect against the Chinese government for allowing Japan to get the territories of Shandong which had previously been surrendered to Germany. The protests led to political mobilization away from cultural activities. On 30th the same month, the working class formed a movement towards the same course. The two movements led to subsequent peace conferences that settled on transferring Qingdao to Japan. The demonstrations sparked national protests and led to the emergence of Chinese nationalism.
Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Nationalistic Party
In 1921, the CCP was formed as a political party and movement by Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu. The two founders emerged from the May Fourth Revolution. They began organizing labor unions. CCP then joined with the Nationalistic Party in 1924 which proved successful. The two parties worked towards reunifying China politically. However, in 1927, the Nationalists turned against the Communists and ousted them from Shanghai which led to a majority of the communists to abandon their revoluti...