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Todd Rutley1. The problems facing China
The problems facing China are primarily industrial backwardness, military weakness, and the lack of modern western education.
Industrial and military weakness is why China was humiliated in the 2 Opium wars and forced to make many land concessions to foreigners.
Industrial and military weakness is why China has had so many domestic rebellions that the central government has been unable to control & suppress (e.g., Taiping, Nian, the Muslim revolts, Boxer, etc.).
The Imperial system and the Confucian social order are NOT the problems that require reforms or revolutionary transformation. The Imperial system and the Confucian order are the essence of China that should be retained and complemented by new learning to strengthen China.
2. Solutions to the problems
We self-strengtheners want “Chinese Learning as Substance, Western Learning for application”. This will preserve the essence of Chinese civilization while adding superior foreign technology and methods to make China strong.
Strengthening the economy and military does NOT require a revolution to overthrow the imperial system. Nor do we recommend substantially changing the Confucian social order. Our only recommendation is to add western learning to the imperial examinations so that future officials will better understand how we can strengthen by adopting the best practical ideas from abroad.
The imperial system can provide national leadership and political stability so we disagree with the revolutionaries that want to discard thousands of years of our historical and cultural learning.
For example, Britain has become the strongest imperial power under the reign of Queen Victoria that lasted from 1837 to 1901. The Japanese successfully modernized after the 1868 Meiji restoration by restoring and elevating the stature of the emperor. Most European powers that invade China also have strong monarchies. Therefore, our view is that since the strong barbarian nations have imperial systems together with industrial modernization, this international experience shows the merit of maintaining our imperial system as well.
3. How to implement the Self-Strengthening solutions?
Self-Strengtheners say China should modernize by taking the following steps:
Conclusion: With new learning from abroad, combined with modern methods, China can regain its strength and put an end to foreign humiliations.
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Todd RutleySummary
Foreign powers attacked China many times during the Century of Humiliation (1839-1949). After at least 4 conflicts, China was required to pay reparations to the foreign countries.
From 1842-1901, these reparations totaled 677 million taels of silver equal to 27,916 tons worth about $US 20.69 billion.
Note that the primary currency unit then used in China was silver taels. 1 Tael = 1.33 ounce or 37.88 grams. As of 10/13/2021, 1 silver ounce = $US 23.00
The value of the territorial and trade concessions China was forced to make are in addition to this huge amount.
Details
Todd Rutley1. Financial Requirements of the Treaty of Nanjing (1842)
The 1842 Treaty of Nanjing required China to pay 21 million silver taels to Britain in reparations for the opium that was seized and destroyed by Commissioner Lin Zexu. The reparations bill is equal to about $642 million in current prices (1 Tael = 1.33 ounce, 1 ounce = $23.00).
The Chinese seizure of the opium was legal because opium was illegal in China…as it was in Britain. In other words, the treaty required the innocent Chinese to repay the guilty British for the punishment they received after violating drug laws in China and ignoring repeated warnings to stop the drug trade.
2. Beneficiaries of the Treaty of Nanjing (1842)
The first benefiary of the treaty was the British merchants that gained access to 5 port cities to expand trade.
The next beneficiary was the British government Treasury. The Treasury benefitted because the UK-China trade balance was improved as merchants sold more opium and goods in China in exchange for silver. This increased trade more than offset the British purchases of Chinese products such as tea and porcelain. The British thinking was “mercantilist”; reflecting the view that international trade should promote trade surpluses that would result in a net inflow of silver which would financially strengthen the exporting country.
Every other country that imposed similar treaties on China also benefitted. In total, 21 Treaties were imposed by 19 countries. Britain (8), Russia (7), France (6), USA (3), Japan (3).
3. Why Was the Treaty of Nanjing Unequal
The treaty was unequal because it granted rights to British in China without any benefits for China in the UK. The British got access to many ports to trade and legal extraterritoriality for British subjects which gave them immunity from Chinese laws.
The 1844 US-China treaty of Wangxia, which copied the treaty of Nanjing, was similarly unequal. As an example, while the 1844 Treaty of Wangxia was in force allowing Americans to trade and pursue missionary work in China, the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act restricted Chinese immigration into the United States. This was blatantly unequal.
4. How To Teach about The Humiliation of the Treaty of Nanjing?
The Treaty of Nanjing was an extremely important event in Chinese history. It was a huge humiliation that has since influenced many Chinese nationalists.
I have taught this in the conventional way, but have been trying to think of a way to make the Chinese experience more meaningful. The following is a way that may engage students.
4.1 Compare the Opium War to the Current USA-Mexican Cartel Drug War
A hypothetical modern comparative example would be if Mexico attacked the US and required the US to sign a treaty requiring the actions listed below. Each of these concessions have a direct parallel in the Treaty of Nanjing.
Hypothetical US-Mexico Sinaloa Treaty (based on 1842 Nanjing Treaty)
The USA hereby agrees to undertake the following actions as reparations for the actions taken against importers of illegal drugs into the USA.
1) Repay the Sinaloa Cartel for all drug shipments seized by the US;
2) Allow the Sinaloa Cartel to open and staff 5 distribution centers in US cities/ports;
3) Exempt the cartel members from future US laws (allow extraterritoriality);
4) Release all cartel members from US prisons; and
5) Permanently cede US territory to Mexico for use by its cartels and military
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Todd RutleyAttached is a PDF version of a presentation I have used to discuss China's geography and geopolitics. The presentation was created in response to student's questions about political conflicts with India, Tibet, Xinjiang, etc. My adult students follow international news, mostly on Fox, and ask about what they see on TV.
Not sure if this is useful for your classes. What do you think?
The Lesson Plan
1. China’s Geography
2. The Important “Hu Line”
3. Tibet Geography Issues
4. Xinjiang Geography Issues
5. India Border Issues
6. Can Geography Forecast Future Conflicts?
Todd RutleyIt has long been said that “Demography is destiny”. Indeed, over time demography becomes destiny.
Here are some examples of using demographic data to explain China & East Asia.
References
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/china-population/
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1950_population.htm
https://population.un.org/wpp/
https://www.rug.nl/ggdc/historicaldevelopment/maddison/?lang=en
Todd RutleyUnderstanding the difference between economic growth and economic development is central to understanding why some economies stagnate and other economies increase their per capita output and achieve economic development. This insight helps explain the relative difference in the performance of the Chinese economy and the Western European economies from 1800 to present times. In particular, this explains how the Western European countries with their relatively small populations could rapidly grow their economies and achieve dominant global power over the 1800-2000 period. This also explains the relative decline of the Western powers since 2000 compared to China which has had faster productivity growth and economic development.
Economic Growth + Productivity Increase = Economic Development
Example 1: In country A, both population and GDP double in one century. Economic growth is achieved but not economic development because the GDP per capita is unchanged (no productivity increase per capita).
Example 2: In country B, population doubles and GDP quadruples in one century. Economic development is achieved because the GDP per capita is doubled.
Chart 1, attached below, shows these concepts. From 1800-1960 the Chinese per capita GDP changed very little. Economic output rose mostly in line with more labor inputs, so there was no per capita productivity gain or economic development. After 1980 productivity rose steadily as China embraced economic change and modernization.
China's current President, Xi Jinping, understands this relationship which is why he is promoting STEM education and scientific research to sustain GDP growth and economic development despite a shrinking labor force due to population aging and the decrease in the birth rate observed since the 1970s.
Also attached are 2 publications from the US Department of Labor that explain productivity. These are very clear and designed for K-12 usage.
References
https://www.bls.gov/k12/productivity-101/
Todd RutleyChina's share of the global economy fell from about 33% in 1820 to 4.9% in 1978. This was the result of the industrial revolution in Europe which caused the GDP per capita there to rise steadily from about 1700 onwards. This is often called "The Great Divergence" between the East & the West
Chart 1 below shows the "great economic divergence" between East Asia and the West from 1000 to 2018. Methodology: This uses the Madison database, updated to 2021 $USD.
Chart 2 below shows the "great economic divergence" between China and Japan from 1950 to 1978.
The big question is why such large divergences have occurred historically. What are the differences in national education, economic and social organization that influence these international differences in economic development?
References
The Madison statistics database: https://www.rug.nl/ggdc/historicaldevelopment/maddison/?lang=en
Book. The Great Divergence China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy by Kenneth Pomeranz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Divergence
Congressional Research Service: China’s Economic Rise: History, Trends, Challenges, and Implications for the United States, 2018 at: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33534/96
Todd RutleyAt the end of video #1, Professor Dube asked us to consider how to explain to students the internal and external forces influencing China in the 19th century.
In my classes I review the Century of Humiliation, and the associated external imperialistic influences on China, and I have attached an edited PDF lecture below FYI.
The reason I teach this topic is because it explains the background to the current political/economic conflicts. The Opium Wars were about trade imbalances and the current US-China conflict is also about trade imbalances.
Feel free to offer comments or to use in your teaching.
Todd RutleyThe 1793 letter shows that the emperor was certain of the superiority of his celestial dynasty’s “perfect governance” and "majestic virtue" compared to that of the foreign barbarians.
The letter reflects the misconception that Lord George Macartney's mission was intended to pay tribute to the emperor and that Britain sought to benefit from Chinese civilization. This reflects the view that China was the center of the world and that all foreign peoples would subordinate themselves to show respect for its superiority. This may have been the case with the other Asian civilizations that paid tribute to the Chinese emperor, but not for the British who were near the peak of their world power in the 1800s.
The tone of the letter is magnanimous, or politely condescending, towards the British supplicants who are lectured on their ignorance of the Chinese system.
The emperor’s conclusion, after a long and diplomatic letter, was strong and definitive: “Do not say that you were not warned in due time! Tremblingly obey and show no negligence!”
Historical & Modern Maps from China & Japan Reflect Asia-Centered World View
Teachers: Do you use a Mercator projection Western-centered world map or perhaps the less distorted Peters projection? Do you think the maps we use influence how students think about the world? I think that maps matter and that they reflect the worldview and biases of the mapmakers & users.
To better understand Asia I like to look at Asia-centered maps. Attached below are Sino-centric maps that show historical and modern Asian views of the world. These maps reflect how China and Japan viewed the troublesome barbarians that came over the seas from the outer reachs of the earth to threaten the peace of the Middle Kingdom (China) and feudal Tokugawa era Japan.
The 2 maps on the "world center of gravity" show the center of world economic activity in 1800 was close to China. From 1850-1950 the global center of gravity moved to the West as it industrialized ahead of China. Since 1980 the global economic center has been steadily moving east...back to the Middle Kingdom! Maybe the Sino-centric world maps are ready to make a comeback!
Todd RutleyI am interested in this class taught by Professor Dube because I learned a lot from his last class! The US-China Institute does a great job of educating educators and the teaching resources are excellent.
I teach about China & East Asia because I want to promote better understanding and international relations between the USA and Asian countries.
Favorite experiences? I have visited Japan, China, and Thailand over 20 times. I like traveling by bicycle, public bus, trains and subways to see how people work and live. I especially like dining in Japan which has a fascinating food culture.
In this class I want to learn how to better represent the relationship between the USA and Asia to promote improved international relations.
Todd RutleyIncorporating East Asia in teaching (in 250-500 words)
Requirement: “1. Discuss how you intend to incorporate East Asia into your teaching. Possible topics you may wish to address include attitudes, approaches, and materials. 2.) Which issues or ideas raised in the seminar are of greatest relevance to your courses and your students?”
How will I incorporate? I will incorporate the lessons from this course in teaching about the historical background to contemporary Chinese politics and economics.
Which issues or ideas raised in the seminar are of greatest relevance to my course?
In conclusion, this course helped me understand the connections between pre-1800 China and modern post-1800 China. It also gave me ideas on how Xi Jinping will lead China forward towards the 2049 centenary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China under the leadership of the CCP. I am interested in watching how China under Xi will promote the idea of a global “community with shared future for mankind” (人类命运共同体). The next 30 years will prove very decisive in world history. As Professor Dube noted in video #1 on May 12, remember the importance of “contingency & serendipity” because history is not deterministic and many paths are possible depending on choices made or circumstances. These are choices that will be made by your students when they begin to vote, so please teach them well.
Todd RutleyIron Production Boom in Song Dynasty: An inspiration for the Great Leap Forward and the 2000-2020 Steel Production Surge in China?
Introduction/Context/Disclosures
This note was inspired by Professor Dube’s references in video #1 (5:37) to the large increase in iron production in the Song Dynasty and how this strengthened the overall economy.
The comparison with the 1950s was influenced by Donald Wagner’s paper “The Great Leap Forward in Iron and Steel’1958–60”.
The comparison with the current 2000-20220 period in China was influenced by the increasing concentration of global steel manufacturing in China.
Historical themes reflected in this note include:
- Periods of economic innovation vs. stagnation
- The rise and fall of countries and empires
- Periods of international openness vs. more closed periods
- Periods of national strengthening vs. periods of weakening
- How societies evolve/progress through challenge and response
...continues in attached PDF
Todd RutleyThis is the direct link to lesson plans: https://easc.osu.edu/resources/k-12/instructionalmaterials
Good source!
Todd RutleyThe 2002 book by Gavin Menzies titled “1421: The Year China Discovered America” is TOTAL FICTION deliberately portrayed as non-fiction to increase book sales (see Fritze in references). However, Menzies books have sold over 1 million copies and his theories are considered factual by many people. It has also been sold in the history/non-fiction category to add to the confusion.
The ideas in Menzies book have been popularized in PBS videos on global exploration that some of your students may have seen. Some of my students have seen these videos, read Menzies books, and fully believed his theory.
The Menzies theory has been debunked by the UCLA Professor of History Richard von Glahn and other many academics. However, despite academic criticism which only academics read, Menzies ideas are very popular on the internet.
Ming Dynasty Sea Voyages Influence China’s Territorial Claims Today
Professor Dube noted in the Ming Dynasty presentation that Zheng He’s voyages throughout South-East Asia are used by China today to support its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
If China’s explorations of the South China Seas justify its territorial claims there, should the claims that China discovered the Americas justify a Chinese territorial claim over North America? Are we all living on Chinese land without leaving America? (Menzies followers would say yes)
You probably think this idea sounds like nonsense, but China’s current territorial claims over 95% of the South China Sea are comparably nonsensical.
Conclusion
Whether the Menzies theory is pure fiction or only 95% fiction, many people believe it and his ideas are circulating on the internet. Therefore, as teachers, I think it is important to understand these idea and to be prepared to deal with them in class.
As Professor Dube noted in video #1, remember “contingency/serendipity” because history is not deterministic and many paths are possible depending on choices made or circumstances.
My opinion is that ideas motivate national choices and actions that make history, and bad ideas have had at least or more influence than good ideas.
South China Sea Background
Despite the obvious fact that the South China Sea borders many countries (Vietnam, The Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia) that all have legal claims to part of the Seas under the rules of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), China claims that all the Sea is its inherent territory. China makes a similar claim over the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyudao) in the East China Sea that were formally annexed by Japan in 1879 (and occupied by the Satsuma domain far earlier).
References
https://vegas.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/e27de4d3-c939-4d55-ab55-2dc300db99ff/zheng-he/
https://vegas.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/vtl07.la.rv.text.zhengii/the-voyage-of-zheng-he-ii/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavin_Menzies
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/ancient-chinese-explorers/
The Economic History of China: From Antiquity to the Nineteenth Century. Richard von Glahn (2016)
https://www.international.ucla.edu/china/article/10387
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1000ce_mingvoyages.htm
Invented Knowledge False History, Fake Science and Pseudo-religions By Ronald H. Fritze. 2009. See pages 96-103
https://maritimeasia.ws/topic/1421bunkum.html
How China Could Have Conquered The World When China Ruled The Waves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4YEADagu0o
Todd RutleyThe 1950-2018 increase in real GDP per capita is strongly positively correlated with increases in the number of churches (estimated correlation coefficient of 0.84). Remember that correlation does not signify causation. Also, be careful of relating this to Max Weber's "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" because that is a Eurocentric concept. 🙂
Xi Jinping is not happy with this trend of rising Christianity. If you know what is happening in Hong Kong, Tibet, or Xinjiang, or if you know how Falun Gong practitioners are treated in China, you know what comes next in the CCP playbook - REPRESSION.
As Xi said in April 2016 “We must resolutely guard against overseas infiltrations via religious means. …Religious groups must adhere to the leadership of the CPC, and support the socialist system and socialism with Chinese characteristics… They should "merge religious doctrines with Chinese culture, abide by Chinese laws and regulations, and devote themselves to China's reform and opening up drive and socialist modernization in order to contribute to the realization of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation."
References
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2016-04/24/content_38312410.htm
China adopts new anti-espionage regulation, to name key institutes susceptible to foreign infiltration. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202104/1222185.shtml
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-115hhrg33238/html/CHRG-115hhrg33238.htm
Historical GDP data source: https://www.rug.nl/ggdc/historicaldevelopment/maddison/releases/maddison-project-database-2020?lang=en
The historical GDP data and chart in Excel available on request from [email protected]
