People's History of Ideas Podcast

In the wake of the Sino-Japanese War, Kang Youwei works with the Guangxu Emperor to try to replicate Japan's Meiji reforms, before being crushed by Cixi and other Manchu conservatives.At the beginning of the episode, I talk some about how westerners have written about Chinese history. A good book that goes really deep into this is Paul Cohen's Discovering History in China. If you're into that topic, you may also want to read Fabio Lanza's End of Concern: Maoist China, Activism, and Asian Studies.Some names from this episode:Kang Youwei, Confucian advocate of liberal modernization and Qing loyalistEmperor Guangxu, Emperor of China during this episode, tried to assert his power during Hundred Days ReformEmpress Dowager Cixi, the real power behind the throneIto Hirobumi, senior Japanese statesman whose met with Guangxu while Cixi 'sat behind the curtain'Yuan Shikai, leader of Chinese armyRong Lu, conservative Manchu governor of metropolitan region and Cixi loyalistKang Guangren, Kang Youwei's younger brotherOkuma Shigenobu, Japanese prime minister who offered Kang Youwei aidMao Zedong, leader of the Chinese RevolutionSupport the show

This podcast episode covers the Sino-French and Sino-Japanese Wars in Vietnam and Korea. It explores the tributary system in East Asia, the conflict between China and France in Vietnam, and the rise of Japan and its impact on Korea.

The podcast discusses a new book about the civil war in Peru, criticizing its biased portrayal of the Shining Path guerrilla movement. It explores the revolutionary tactics and gender strategies employed by the Shining Path, and critiques the limitations of vitriolic language in historical analysis. The podcast also delves into the Shining Path's approach to revolution and their challenges in the fight for liberation.

This episode focuses on the 1862-1895 period, when the Empress Dowager Cixi ruled and reformers tried to make China strong enough to stand up to foreign powers by modernizing the military and promoting 'new learning.' Also, a few words on the surge in overseas Chinese migration during this time, and its relationship to revolutionary nationalist movements to overthrow the Qing Empire.The books that I quote from in the episode are:Zheng Yangwen, Ten Lessons in Modern Chinese History (https://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9780719097737/)Stephen Platt, Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/131825/autumn-in-the-heavenly-kingdom-by-stephen-r-platt/9780307472212/)Support the show

The episode wraps up the events of the Taiping Revolution (1850-1864) and also deals with the events and outcome of the Second Opium War (1856-1860). The Qing Dynasty is weakened and the British, French, American and Russian powers extract new unequal treaties. Then the British help the Qing to put down a peasant-based revolution.Support the show

The strange story of Christian peasant revolutionaries in 19th century China. This episode is about the origins and early years of the Taiping Revolution (1850-1864). Both the early Nationalist revolutionaries, like Sun Yat-sen, and later Communists, like Mao Zedong, were inspired by the peasant war led by Hong Xiuquan. But the Taipings were more than just a very large peasant rebellion, as their leader, Hong, thought he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ.Good resources for more information:Jonathan Spence, God's Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan (https://wwnorton.com/books/Gods-Chinese-Son/)Stephen Platt, Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/131825/autumn-in-the-heavenly-kingdom-by-stephen-r-platt/9780307472212/)Support the show

This is the first of several episodes which will give broad historical background for our upcoming discussion of the Chinese Revolution and the international spread of ideas related to the Chinese Revolution. This episode focuses on the background to and events of the First Opium War (1839-1842). China's defeat in the First Opium War began the Century of Humiliation at the hands of imperialist powers (Britain, France, Russia, Germany, USA, Japan) that ended with the revolution's victory in 1949.Good resources for more information on these events:Zheng Yangwen, The Social Life of Opium in China (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/social-life-of-opium-in-china/F5A70808CF5B7621B0E949686E90406C)Stephen Platt, Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China's Last Golden Age (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/221056/imperial-twilight-by-stephen-r-platt/9780345803023/)Support the show

This is a short episode just introducing you to the podcast. Matthew Rothwell is your host. The theme is the history of revolutionary ideas, starting with background to the Chinese Revolution.For Dr. Rothwell's book on Maoism in Latin America, see here: https://www.routledge.com/Transpacific-Revolutionaries-The-Chinese-Revolution-in-Latin-America/Rothwell/p/book/9781138108066For a shorter introduction to his work, see this article: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1531961/1/Rothwell_RA.pdfFull audio of the Malcolm X speech excerpted in this episode, "Message to the Grassroots," is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a59Kwp35Z80Support the show