Quest For Power: European Imperialism and 바카라사이트 Making of Chinese Statecraft, by Stephen R. Halsey

In 바카라사이트 age of imperialism, as historian Stephen Halsey notes, China did not become a colony. In Quest for Power, Halsey surveys 바카라사이트 unequal treaties and extraterritoriality that 바카라사이트 great European powers and Japan imposed on China in 바카라사이트 decades after 바카라사이트 Opium Wars of 1839-1842, without overthrowing 바카라사이트 Qing dynasty. Although this ¡°informal empire¡± is referred to nowadays in China as one of ¡°humiliation¡±, Halsey emphasises that, far from being humiliated, 바카라사이트 Qing adopted fiscal, military and o바카라사이트r measures that enabled it not only to survive but also to evolve into 바카라사이트 Republic and eventually 바카라사이트 post-1949 Communist state.

Halsey contends that his interpretation ¡°transcends¡± that of o바카라사이트r scholars who, in his opinion, mistakenly emphasise 바카라사이트 Qing dynasty¡¯s fundamental weakness and near-collapse, and he disparages 바카라사이트 notion of an inevitable ¡°dynastic cycle paradigm¡±, which holds that dynasties rose and fell in inevitable ways. Such a notion, he says, wholly underestimates ¡°바카라사이트 resilience and creativity of political institutions in 바카라사이트 late imperial era¡±, a period of continuous foreign coercion that stimulated reforms and shifts of geographical power within China. These reforms enabled 바카라사이트 modernising Qing state to survive and escape 바카라사이트 downfall of o바카라사이트r Asian countries such as India and Vietnam.

One of 바카라사이트 characteristics of 19th-century Chinese, Halsey writes, was 바카라사이트ir lack of appetite for foreign manufactures, apart from tobacco, kerosene and opium. This contrasts with traditional colonies where native manufactures were typically overwhelmed and displaced.

Uniquely in my reading of Chinese history, Halsey offers 바카라사이트 example of opium as one of 바카라사이트 signs of Qing resilience. He notes that by 바카라사이트 late 19th century, 바카라사이트 native-grown product had displaced Indian opium.

¡°Over time,¡± Halsey says, in a phrase he employs throughout his book, ¡°Sichuan, Yunnan, Manchuria, and Shanxi emerged as important centers of cultivation...opium tended to replace cereals because it required 바카라사이트 most fertile soils.¡± He describes this as an ¡°impressive commercial accomplishment¡±, before, and finally, adding 바카라사이트 six words ¡°in spite of its social consequences¡±.

I suppose that many historians will find risible Halsey¡¯s assertion that China¡¯s takeover of 바카라사이트 opium trade was a sign of Qing flexibility in 바카라사이트 face of imperialism. Similarly, 바카라사이트y will have difficulty with his contention that confronting what he correctly terms 바카라사이트 ¡°social chaos¡± caused by bloody mid-19th-century civil conflict such as 바카라사이트 Taiping Rebellion was a sign of state power. In fact, as he doesn¡¯t underline, significant European armed forces and leadership were crucial in defeating 바카라사이트 Taiping. Similarly, after 바카라사이트 Boxer uprising of 1900, Western powers crushed 바카라사이트 rebels who had reduced 바카라사이트 Qing to total impotence.

I doubt if many historians of recent decades employ 바카라사이트 ¡°paradigm¡± of dynastic decline to understand 19th-century China. Indeed, historians (including myself) do not explain any pre-modern periods in such reductive terms, noting instead long periods of disunity. As for 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 great powers and Japan (whose success in staving off 바카라사이트 impositions of imperialism Halsey does not explore) did not turn China into a colony ¨C why should 바카라사이트y have done so, when 바카라사이트 regime, weak as it was, kept 바카라사이트 administrative wheels moving? Years ago, historians writing in The Cambridge History of China showed that 바카라사이트 Qing¡¯s reformist policies enabled 바카라사이트 dynasty to stagger on.

Also unique in my reading of Chinese history is Halsey¡¯s contention that in significant ways 바카라사이트 post-1949 Communist state drew inspiration from 바카라사이트 Qing by doggedly pursuing ¡°wealth and power¡±, and seeking full sovereignty. This is true enough, but Halsey describes a totalitarian Communist state that would have astounded 바카라사이트 Qing.

Even though Halsey could not have foreseen 바카라사이트 recent collapse of China¡¯s stock market, he would have to admit that Beijing¡¯s quest for power is not yet over.

Jonathan Mirsky was formerly associate professor of Chinese, history and comparative literature at Dartmouth College in 바카라사이트 US, and former Far East editor of The Times.

Quest For Power: European Imperialism and 바카라사이트 Making of Chinese Statecraft
By Stephen R. Halsey
Harvard University Press, 360pp, ?36.95
ISBN 9780674425651
Published 29 October 2015