Was the 1911 Revolution Successful? Let’s Begin With Sun Yat-sen and Liang Qichao’s Views of Nationalism

Revolutions usually do not start when leaders are the most corrupted or when oppressions are the most severe. They happen when rulers are vigilant of reforms, and when countries are about to widely open their doors. Before Sun Yat-sen’s armed uprising broke out, the Preparatory Constitutionalism led by Liang Qichao had already started. The Consultative Bureau and the Advisory Council were in operation. Why did the conservative “constitutionalists” lose out to the progressive “revolutionaries”? The revolution succeeded, but did it really lead to modernization in exchange?



About the Documentary

China: A Century of Revolution—China in Revolution 1911-1949
Directed by: Sue Williams
The 1911 Revolution put an end to 2,000 years of autocratic monarchy. However, after the success, the country soon started facing competing warlord regimes, invasions, and the Chinese Civil War.