China’s social, economic and political situation in the early 20th century
Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925) studied medicine in Hong Kong and was a politician who sought a republic in China. In 1905 he founded the “United League” (Tongmenghui); its programme included overthrowing the Qing monarchy, creating a republic and fairness in land use. In 1911 a plan to place railways under foreign-loan control caused protest and in October soldiers rose in Wuchang; within a short time many provinces broke away from the Qing government (the Xinhai Revolution). On 1 January 1912 the Republic of China was proclaimed in Nanjing and Sun Yat-sen became provisional president. General Yuan Shikai, head of the government in Beijing, relied on the great powers and the army; on 12 February 1912 the last Qing emperor abdicated (the dynasty had ruled since 1644), and Sun then handed the presidency to Yuan. Yuan began limiting democratic freedoms; the Kuomintang formed in 1912 was led by Sun Yat-sen, a “second revolution” in the south was crushed in 1913, and the 1914 constitution gave the president unlimited power.
“Portrait of a leader”: prepare a five-line profile of Sun Yat-sen’s life and ideas.