Comparison of the influence of Westernists and reformists on Chinese society

After getting the tacit approval of the Empress Dowager Cixi, the Westernists set off a Westernization movement from the 60s to the 90s of the 19th century with the purpose of "mastering the skills of self-improvement". The Westernization Movement was a series of activities carried out by the Westernists under the slogans of "self-improvement" and "seeking prosperity". It is mainly the use of advanced Western technology, the establishment of a number of modern military industrial countries and civilian industries, and at the same time also carried out activities such as planning coastal defense, establishing new-style schools, and sending students abroad, which is also the concrete expression of the Westernists' ideas in the economic, military, and educational aspects.

The content of the Westernization Movement is very complex, involving military, political, economic, and diplomatic affairs, and in the name of "self-improvement," the main content of the campaign is to set up a military industry, set up other enterprises around the military industry, and establish an army and navy with new equipment. It is worth noting that these modern enterprises run by the Westernists are premised on not changing the feudal relations of production. The enterprises run by them have a strong dependence on foreign countries, feudalism and a certain degree of monopoly.

Therefore, if the Westernists wanted to set up modern industrial enterprises and prepare for coastal defense in China, they had to be influenced and constrained by imperialism in terms of industrial technology, capital, and even management. Inevitably, therefore, imperialist political, military, and economic control over China deepened to a certain extent.

The Reform Movement was a patriotic political movement initiated by the bourgeois reformists in modern China in an attempt to save the nation from peril and develop the national capitalist economy through top-down reform methods. This movement pushed China's struggle against foreign aggression and the search for a way out since the Opium War to a new stage. Politically, the reformers advocated the opening of the parliament, advocated civil rights, limited the rights of feudal monarchs, and implemented a constitutional monarchy.

Economically, it advocates the revitalization of industry and the development of the capitalist economy. Ideologically and culturally, it disseminated the bourgeois democratic political ideology, introduced Western natural science and social theories, criticized the traditional Chinese feudal ethics, and played an important enlightening role in promoting the awakening of the people, especially the ideological emancipation of the intellectuals. In opposition to the reformers were the diehards, and the two sides debated whether to change the law.

The first ideological enlightenment movement in modern China was launched. The essence of both is to maintain the feudal rule of the Qing Dynasty.

Although both movements failed, they had a profound impact on China's development, the former being an effort in China's modernization process, while the latter was a baptism of Chinese people's ideological consciousness, at least in our eyes at the time, both movements were advanced.

The simplest effect, I think, is to raise people's awareness. Mental and conscious improvement.

Restorationists. The similarities with the Westernists are: (1) the representative figures are all Qing Dynasty bureaucrats; (2) both advocate learning from advanced Western science and technology; (3) both advocate the establishment of new schools and the cultivation of talents; (4) Both maintained the wanton rule of the Qing Dynasty.

The differences are: (1) Different class attributes. The Westernists belonged to the representative figures of the feudal landlord class; The reformers belonged to the national bourgeoisie.

Representatives of the upper echelons. (2) Different political views. Westernists oppose any political reform; The reformers advocated the revival of civil rights and the implementation of a constitutional monarchy.

3) Depends on different objects. The Westernists relied on the Empress Dowager Cixi, who held real power; The Restorationists relied on an emperor who had no real power. (4) The fundamental purpose is different.

The Westernists were to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty; The reformers were to develop capitalism in China.

5) The way is different from the Lu hunger road. The Westernists split the political power in their hands and used the functions of the first to carry out the Westernization movement.

The reformers adopted a reform movement with a certain mass bourgeois character and a political movement to save the country and save the country.

The essence is the difference between the classes, one of the two is the landlord class and the other is the bourgeoisie.

The Westernist ideology was subordinate to the landlord class, while the reformist ideology was subordinate to the bourgeoisie, and the two poles of the East and the West could be stimulated at the same time." The relationship between the two is further clarified. "The former doesn't need to go through the cultivation of the latter first, but in that great era.

It is a direct reflection of the historical mission facing the Chinese people in the background, and the latter is precisely an indirect reflection, which through the filtering effect of some real power factions at the landlord level, has turned the historical mission of the Restoration into the scope of foreign affairs acceptable to the rulers." Zheng Dahua's early reform ideology was born from the Westernization ideology, which coincided with the views of Li Shiyue, Xu Tailai and others. And in his book "The History of Late Qing Thought", he made a detailed discussion of the forest transport evidence: "In the Westernization Movement.

In the stage of the rise, they were ideologically related to the Zeng State Domain.

Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang.

There is no obvious difference between the Western-style bureaucrats and other representatives, and they are basically the same as the Western-style bureaucrats in their understanding of the 'changing situation,' the guiding ideology of 'self-improvement,' 'seeking prosperity,' the mode of operation of the government's supervision and business, and the cultural outlook of 'Chinese style and Western use.' It is believed that the early reform trend was born from the Westernization thought, and the former is the inheritance and development of the latter. It also further explains the reasons why the former was able to develop.

They are not in power, and their relationship with the Qing Dynasty is not as close as that of Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang and others, but they have more ties with the national capitalist economy than Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang and others." "They also know more about the social, political, economic and cultural conditions of the West than Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zong, Wu Gaotang and others."

They are also younger than Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang and others, generally 20 or 30 years younger, and their thinking is therefore more sensitive, and they are more receptive to new ideas and things."

Western-style faction. Both the reformers advocated the establishment of new schools, the encouragement of factories and mines, and the construction of navies. Both the Westernists and the Reformists were the products of the new trend of thought of "learning from the West" since the Opium War; With the development of the Western-style movement, a part of the Western-style faction was separated from the Western-style faction to form the early reformist faction.

Similarities: Both factions advocate learning from the West, introducing advanced Western technology, enriching the country and strengthening the army, establishing new-style schools, and cultivating talents.

Differences: Zheng Zheng Chun stool rule: The Westernists maintained the feudal system of the Qing Dynasty.

The reformers advocated the revitalization of civil rights.

The House of Representatives is opened, and a constitutional monarchy is implemented.

Economically, the Westernists set up government-run industries, and the reformists encouraged the development of national industry and commerce.

Ideologically and culturally, the Westernists advocated that "the Westernists should simply learn from foreign manufacturing techniques, while the reformists advocated not only learning Western science and technology, but also learning advanced ideology and culture, and their fundamental differences lie in the question of what to learn from the West."

1.determined by socio-historical conditions

The Westernists arose in an era when class contradictions were acute in China and there was collusion between Chinese and foreign reactionary forces, and Chinese national capitalism was at that time.

Not yet generated. The Restorationists were the Yangsen Reform Movement.

Some problems were exposed and appeared after the emergence of capitalism, shouting brigades in the First Sino-Japanese War.

Growing up in conditions of failure and unprecedented national crisis.

2.Determined by political status

Most of the representatives of the Westernists were feudal bureaucrats, and they were bound to maintain the feudal system. Most of the representatives of the Restorationists were middle- and lower-class intellectuals, who were easily receptive to Western political ideas and put forward proposals for change.

Same: They all advocate learning from the West, introducing advanced Western technology, enriching the country and strengthening the army, establishing new-style schools, and cultivating talents.

Both the Westernists and the Reformists were the products of the new trend of thought of "learning from the West" since the Opium War;

Politics: Westernists maintained the feudal system of the Qing Dynasty; The reformers advocated the revitalization of civil rights, the opening of the parliament, and the implementation of a constitutional monarchy.

Economy: The Westernists set up government-run industries, and the reformists encouraged the development of national industry and commerce.

Ideology and culture (fundamental differences): The Westernists advocated "Chinese style and Western use" and simply learned foreign manufacturing techniques, while the reformists advocated not only learning Western science and technology, but also learning advanced ideology and culture.

The essence is the difference between the classes, one is the landlord class and the other is the bourgeoisie, the Westernist ideology is subordinate to the landlord class, while the reformist ideology is subordinate to the bourgeoisie.

The Restorationists were one of the Chinese political factions active in the 90s of the 19th century. The reform movement led by Kang Youwei, Yan Fu, Liang Qichao, and Tan Sitong, with Kang Youwei, Yan Fu, Liang Qichao, and Tan Sitong as the main representatives, was stirred upThe Westernists were a political faction within the ruling class that gradually formed and grew after the Second Opium War, especially in the process of suppressing the Taiping Rebellion. The Western-style regiment brigade was dispatched"Shiyi's long skills are self-improving"for the main purpose to:"Middle school is for the body, and Western learning is for use"for the principle.

There is a difference between the Restorationists and the Westernists

1. The Westernists maintained the feudal system of the Qing Dynasty; The reformers advocated learning from the Western political system, promoting civil rights, and implementing a constitutional monarchy.

2. The Westerners set up government-run industries; The reformers encouraged the study of the Western economic system and the development of national industry and commerce.

3. The Westernists advocate "Chinese and Western use" and simply learn foreign manufacturing skills; The reformers advocated that we should not only learn Western science and technology, but also learn advanced ideology and culture.

4. The Westernists belong to the representative figures of the feudal landlord class; The reformers belonged to the representatives of the upper strata of the national bourgeoisie.

5, the Ming or Sen Western-style faction was to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty; The reformers were to develop capitalism in China.