Asia 2270 Essay: Analyzing Unequal Treaties and May Fourth Movement

This essay critically analyzes China's history in the 20th century, focusing on the impact of unequal treaties and the May Fourth Movement. The study begins by highlighting China's historical power before the 20th century and the influence of Western nations. It then delves into the historical context of the May Fourth Movement, triggered by the Treaty of Versailles and the transfer of German colonial concessions to Japan, which led to widespread student protests and the rise of student nationalism. The essay explores the movement's demands for Chinese independence and sovereignty, and its influence on socio-political reforms, including the promotion of liberal individualism, industry, and science. Furthermore, it examines the movement's impact on China's political stability, grassroots reforms, and industrial development. The essay also considers the movement's influence on cultural practices and its role in stopping Western guidance on the country, empowering individuals.

MANAGAEMENT
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

The theme of the paper has been developed based on the critical analysis of China in the 20th
century. According to Ren (2016), before the Asian arrival, china was being considered as the
most powerful nation in the globe. By continuing this it can be said that in the beginning of 20th
century, China has significantly influenced the powerful western nations by extending its
controlling power. In the year 1912, with the starting of imperial system in China, the Japanese
expansion towards China has created the unequal treaty. The purpose of this study is to critically
analyze unequal treaty in the Chinese history as well as may fourth Movement that has been
critically analyzed in this essay.
After the World War I with the Shandong Problem that was raised due to the Treaty of
Versailles. As this treaty was humiliating for China due to the revelations of certain clauses of
the treaty that are made public. Even after China played crucial role in war fronts of world war I,
countries like the Britain, United States as well as France ignored protests of the delegation of
the China and determined to transfer Germany’s different colonial concessions situated in China
to Japan. This even included important eastern port city Qingdao as well as surrounding province
of Shandong.
The movement was mainly reaction to Versailles treaty that was responsible for the transfer of
the German colonial possessions in the different regions of the China to Japan. Consequently,
those colonies were not returned back to China (Vermander, 2019). As a result of this
humiliation the student came on the streets in order to protest which was considered as the first
nationwide student protest of its kind. Due to this the student nationalism was born that lead to
the anti-imperialist governance in the country (Xie,, 2019).
Furthermore, the protestors demanded refurbishment of the Chinese independence and
sovereignty that was affected by the treaty of Versailles. Due to this protest the most important

socio-political reform achieved by the citizens of the country. Furthermore, this protest
eradicated that strong imposition of the Confucian values and society that relies on the
democratically chosen government. In addition to that the liberal individualism, industry and
science was promoted through this project.
By supporting this Mu (2016) stated that aas the people of chain felt the treat as the twofold
betrayal, one of which was Japanese brutal aggression, and another was imposition of the
Western powers on the country without caring about the Chinese feelings as they were carved up
map of Asia between them. Till date the May Fourth Movement is considered as the most
important student political, anti-imperialist, cultural that had its roots in the country capital
Beijing. The movement began with numerous demonstrations by students of china on 4thMay of
1919. In the movement they were mainly objecting to their government’s ineffectiveness against
the e Treaty of Versailles (Shi, 2018). The nationalism that was boosted by this movement still
holds the China as country. Due to this movement, China was able to attain as well as maintain
political stability required for its growth as a nation, focus on the grassroots level of the different
nationwide problems, introducing the bottom-up reforms that included reforms in agriculture
instead of focusing on the financial sector only. In addition to that it also helped the country in
order to promote different rural industries despite of having their primitive technologies at that
time. Moreover, after this movement the country started using their manufactured product rather
than only natural resources in order to exchange for the imported machinery.
Later on the as the result of the movement objectives governments provided enormous support to
the industries to build up the required infrastructure, maintain dual-track system that included
government/private ownership in the different infrastructure project rather than complete
privatization. Tang (2016) opined that in addition to that the industrial ladder was moved up

from establishing the light to heavy industries in the different regions of country, from labour to
capital-intensive production lines, moving to the financial capitalism from manufacturing, and
finally saving state to the consumerist state.
In the May Fourth Movement, the Treaty of Versailles has been protested by the students.
Through this movement, the Communist party of India has been formed. This movement can be
defined as the cultural, political and Anti-imperialist movement that has been introduced against
the weak response of the Chinese government (Shi, 2018). This movement against retaining the
Japan territories in Shandong that has been surrendered by Germany. After this incident many
social, political and radical leaders have been emerged in this country.
Analyzing the post impact of May Fourth Movement, it has been identified that new cultural
practice has been introduced. In the context of 20th century, it can be said that through the
intellectual as well as reformist movement has supported the social and political values. The
foundation of democratic China has been done by the individuals’ freedom as well as women
empowerment (Zhitian, 2019). The intellectual; form of the movement has influenced the
conflict between traditionalism and Confucianism. In order to embracing the democracy, science
as well as liberalism, the significance of New Cultural movement is high. Through the May
Fourth Movement, the series of national wide sticks and protests have influenced the activities of
Beiyang government. Therefore, it can be said that the May fourth as well as New Culture
movement have brought the significant impact on stopping the western guidance on the country
and made individuals empowered.

References:
Mu, H. E. (2016). The Change and Impact of the Relationship between Rule of Law and
Democracy during Late Qing Reform to May Fourth Movement. Journal of Jiangsu
Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), (4), 21.
Ren, Y. (2019). “Relying on America”: The CPI’s Propaganda in China and Its Influence on
China’s Pursuit of a New National Identity before the May Fourth Movement. Frontiers
of History in China, 14(3), 427-457.
Shi, Q. (2018, March). An analysis of the Value of Chinese Art Songs during the May Fourth
Period. In 2nd International Conference on Culture, Education and Economic
Development of Modern Society (ICCESE 2018). Atlantis Press.
Tang, Y. (2016). May Fourth Movement and the Debates on Transitional Culture. In Anthology
of Philosophical and Cultural Issues (pp. 41-46). Springer, Singapore.
Vermander, B., (2019). Culture and Politics in China: The May Fourth Movement, 1919. La
Civiltà Cattolica, English Edition, 3(6), pp.17-27.
Wang, Q. E. (2019). The Chinese Historiography of the May Fourth Movement, 1990s to the
Present. Twentieth-Century China, 44(2), 138-149.
Xie, Y. (2019, September). The Role of the Spirit of the May Fourth Movement in Leading
Youths in the New Era. In The 4th International Conference on Economy, Judicature,
Administration and Humanitarian Projects (JAHP 2019). Atlantis Press.
Zhitian, L. (2019). Wholeness and individuality: Revisiting the New Culture Movement, as
symbolized by May Fourth. Chinese Studies in History, 52(3-4), 188-208.