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文|Neil
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introduction
The Qing Dynasty was once strong, and even made the foreigners at that time feel admired and regarded it as the object of pursuit, but in the late Qing Dynasty, the late Qing Dynasty completely became a "poor student" in the development lineup.
Japan and Tsarist Russia next door completed rapid development, but the late Qing Dynasty was no longer the same as it used to be, compared with the invincible world in the Ming Dynasty, the late Qing Dynasty seemed so sad and humiliating. What caused the backwardness of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, why was it unable to develop, and was forced to become a sleeping "lion"?
(Image of Emperor Meiji)
First, the direction of development and development purposes
The direction and concept of a country's development are in the hands of the leaders. At that time, Japan's "Meiji Restoration" gave Japan a new look. Tsarist Russia's territorial expansion, pursuit of industrial technology and experience contributed to its rapid rise.
The fundamental purpose of this development direction and concept is to enhance the hard power of the state. The most important of these is the transformation of the education system and the upgrading of industrial technology. The education system can be roughly divided into two aspects, one is the popularization of education for all, and the other is the direction of military ability education.
(Portrait of the Meiji government's five-point oath)
So what was the direction of development and the concept of development of the Manchu Qing Dynasty? To be honest, it is difficult to evaluate this, because at that time, the Manchu Qing Dynasty almost did not have the so-called development. Under the influence of the war and the domestic people's livelihood, economy, and political pressure, the Manchu Qing had very little room for development, but this did not mean that it could not develop, but the leadership of the Manchu Qing Dynasty chose the wrong direction of development, and even more so had the wrong purpose of development.
First of all, the development direction and purpose of the Manchu Qing Dynasty were only to meet one goal, that is, to maintain the leadership of the state and the rule of the royal family and aristocracy.
Everything is to maintain power, to maintain the status quo as much as possible under the oppression of foreign countries, and not to suffer greater losses. As for self-motivation, many ministers have it, but it is rarely seen in the anxious and war-fearful leadership. If the seclusion was also a development, then the Manchus should have been the most powerful country in the world at that time.
(Elites who promoted the Meiji Restoration)
Second, the difference in development direction and purpose is detailed
In response to this, we use the development of education to make a distance, starting with education for all. During the Manchu period, there must have been no so-called universal education. Even if it was a Manchu people, after coming to the Central Plains to establish a dynasty, the influence of "Legalist thought" was extremely serious.
The Manchu rulers did not want the people to be too clever so that they could rule. The so-called ancient poor students are not as "poor" as we think, and there are still differences between families that can provide children with education and ordinary people's families.
(Forced education for men and women during the Meiji Restoration)
Japan's Meiji Restoration can be roughly divided into three areas, namely, the cultivation of education and civilization, the development of the colonial industry, and the military prosperity. In the area of education and civilization, Japan has taken measures to educate as many children as possible throughout the country.
Only after the popularization of comprehensive education can more talents emerge at the grassroots level of the country, so as to select suitable ones to train them to become the pillars of various industries in the country. However, the Manchu management believed that ordinary people still did not deserve education.
(Japan's new army during the Meiji Restoration)
Education still belongs to the upper class, and the feudal society still prefers it, and the people's IQ is lower, so they allocate educational resources to a small number of people, so as to manage a small number of people themselves, and let a small number of people manage most of the people who have not seen the world and have not received education.
In our later opinion, this is definitely wrong, but the author thinks it depends on the times. If the country rises and falls, like the Ming Dynasty, it doesn't seem to matter if the scientific expedition adopts the backward "Eight Shares of Scholars" policy, the people are stupid, and when the country is prosperous, we must pay attention to management, and fewer smart people are also a guarantee.
(The last queen of the late Qing Dynasty - Guo Buluo Wanrong)
But the key point is that at this time, the Manchu Qing Dynasty was already in a critical period of survival, and it had been bullied, there were too many lessons to be learned in front of it, and it had seen many things that could not be seen before, and it was imperative to implement the national policy of national education for all in China.
However, there is also an obvious possibility, that is, the full list at that time thought that they might not be able to afford to wait. At the beginning of the Meiji Restoration, Japan's enrolment rate was only 23 percent, but after the end of the Russo-Japanese War, it rose to a terrifying 97 percent.
This has also led to the emergence of a large number of multi-professional talents in Japan in this process, among which the more typical ones are finance, agriculture, and manufacturing. The result of this multi-element learning Xi final "landing" is the diversification of the industry. The same is true for military education, sending their soldiers abroad for Xi, especially to Germany.
(Pu Yi photo)
After a long period of study and Xi, let these experienced soldiers return to China and serve as instructors to re-educate them in advanced military concepts and skills. We can understand that Japan's approach is a way of progress from point to area, first learning Xi, then spreading, and then summarizing, and finally forming a mature system.
The Manchu Qing Dynasty's purpose of development in military education was very rude: sending domestic soldiers abroad to study for a year and a half, and directly appointing them after being given a high salary, without the so-called re-education process.
As for the industrial aspect, I directly invited foreigners to come over for guidance, and I didn't learn much by myself. The mainland really in the embryonic period of the first blowout of industrial talents, or in the Republic of China.
(Cixi Snow Viewing Scene)
As for the comparison with Tsarist Russia, first, they did not absorb Western industrial technology, and secondly, the Manchus did not have the ability to invade, or in other words, in the late Qing Dynasty, these high-level leaders had no idea and ability to expand their territory at all.
When Japan and Tsarist Russia built factories for development, the Manchu government was still worried about finances and how to calm the oppression of foreign forces, that is, there was a ruthless person like Zuo Zongtang who was willing to carry the coffin to fight in Xinjiang, which made the Manchu Qing Dynasty show a trace of backbone.
(Queen Wanrong playing with the camera)
3. The huge burden of Manchu development
In addition to the fact that the Manchu government itself did not seek progress and wanted to unify power when the country was in crisis, there was another very important reason that affected its development, that is, the huge burden brought by the Manchu nobles and the Eight Banners.
When they were satisfied with entering the customs, the Eight Banners were able to fight well, and their descendants enjoyed a lifetime of happiness because of their bravery when they entered the customs. Even if you don't do anything, you can get a salary, and your children can still inherit, and a few inherit a few.
(Descendant of the opium-smoking Eight Banners)
In the late Qing Dynasty, the money given to them accounted for almost one-third of the country's annual income, and even the country could not afford to support it in the future, and the problem of "Eight Banners Livelihood" appeared. When Li Hongzhang went to Europe and saw the Makqin machine gun, he couldn't put it down, but in the end he didn't buy it, because he knew that the Makqin machine gun was consumed too fast, and the country couldn't afford it.
It was this financial burden that allowed the Manchus to develop again. In addition, the development direction and fundamental purpose of development mentioned above were incorrect, which directly led to the rapid development of Japanese Tsarist Russia in that era, but the Manchu Qing Dynasty became a "poor student".
Resources:
Fang Zongwei.On the difference between the Westernization Movement and the Meiji Restoration[D].Yanbian University,2010.
Liao Zeluo, Huang Chaofeng.Comparison between the Westernization Movement and the Meiji Restoration——Also on the Reasons for Its Success or Failure[J].Times Finance,2015,(26):202-203.
Tian Zhengping, Liang Xiaopeng.A Comparative Investigation of the Modernization Reform of China and Japan——Focusing on the Wuxu Reform and the Meiji Restoration[J].Journal of Zhejiang University(Humanities and Social Sciences),1999(06):5-10.