The reform movement of 1898 was a bourgeois reform movement and a preliminary attempt by the bourgeoisie to change the social system. So what is the significance of the reform movement of 1898? What are the reasons and lessons of the failure of the reform movement of 1898? Now let me tell you the significance of the reform movement of 1898 and the reasons and lessons of its failure!
The reform movement of 1898 was an event of great significance in modern Chinese history. ① the reform movement of 1898 was a bourgeois reform movement and a preliminary attempt by the bourgeoisie to change the social system. The reformers tried to establish a bourgeois constitutional monarchy politically. The economic development of national capitalism is in line with the historical development trend. ② It is a patriotic national salvation movement. At a time when the national crisis is intensifying, the reformers hope to make China strong through reform, so as to get rid of the aggression of imperialist powers, show strong patriotic enthusiasm and stimulate the people's patriotic thought and national consciousness. ③ The reform movement of 1898 was also a liberation of the ideological trend in modern China. The bourgeois reformers advocated new learning, advocated the revitalization of civil rights, fiercely attacked feudal thought, played an ideological enlightenment role in society and promoted the awakening of the Chinese people.
1. Progressive significance. Although most of the decrees issued by the reform movement of 1898 are on paper and have never been really implemented, it shows that the historical trend is progressive. Politically, the reformers deeply criticized the feudal system, advocated the establishment of Parliament and the restriction of excessive imperial power, and hoped to gradually change the feudal autocratic system into a capitalist constitutional monarchy through the improved road. Although they finally failed, their propaganda and influence promoted the development of the bourgeois revolution. Economically, the reformers called for the development of capitalism in China, which is in line with the trend of China's historical development.
2. Patriotic significance. The Chinese national bourgeoisie, who had just stepped on the political stage, faced the frenzy of partition set off by imperialism at the end of the 19th century, stood up and shouted for the salvation of the nation, called for "protecting the country" and opposed "partition", which was a patriotic movement in modern China to explore the truth of saving the country and the people. What is particularly valuable is that they incorporated their political requirements into the national salvation movement and combined the reform movement with the national salvation movement. It has played an important role in stimulating people's patriotic thought and national consciousness.
3. Enlightenment significance. The reformers first established modern newspapers and periodicals in China, gradually transformed the old style academies and private schools into modern schools, and widely established political and academic associations. They vigorously advocated western social and political theories and scientific knowledge, publicized the concept of natural human rights, freedom and equality, opened the horizons of intellectuals, enabled them to re understand the world, and removed some obstacles for people to accept new ideas later. This ideological influence will not disappear due to the political change. A group of landlord class intellectuals accepted the new ideas and got involved in the vortex of bourgeois political struggle, which is the mass basis of the reform movement. After the reform movement of 1898, the social goals pursued by people have changed significantly. The outstanding talents among the intellectuals of the landlord class have not gathered in the bureaucratic class, but transformed to its opposite. After the reform movement of 1898, not only a large number of young students fell into the revolutionary camp, but also a considerable number of older generation intellectuals withdrew from the feudal bureaucratic group and chose another way.
1) the Conservatives are powerful, and the supreme leadership of the country is not in the hands of the reformers, but in the hands of princes and ministers headed by Empress Dowager Xi. Several prominent figures in power, Prince Gong and Prince Qing, are resolute and almost invariably conservative. There were only a few reformers, and they had no real power in the court. Kang Youwei only served as Zhang Jing (foreign secretary), the Yamen of national affairs, and most of his seven petitions were suppressed; Kang Youwei organization society was also suppressed, closed and dissolved. The running of newspapers was curbed, and the journal was suspended after three issues. The Empress Dowager Xi's attitude towards the reform is eight words: tolerance: she wants to control the reform within a certain range, agree to abolish eight strands, change policy theory, develop commerce, open factories, arm the army with new weapons, etc; Control:
Empress Dowager Xi took two measures against the reformers: one was to eliminate Weng Tongfu and remove the staff around Guangxu; Second, let Ronglu serve as governor of Zhili in Tianjin and control the military power in and around Beijing; Observation: see what Guangxu wants to do. Hands on: as long as the reform touched the interests of the princes and nobles of the Qing Dynasty, she began to suppress it.
2) the reformers led by Kang Youwei have limitations in theoretical guidance. Kang has two books: the examination of new learning and false classics and the examination of Confucius' reform. There is no sufficient and convincing evidence. Needless to say, the Conservatives opposed it, and some enlightened people at that time did not agree. The resistance of some radical reformists has also increased.
3) the reformers and Emperor Guangxu's strategic mistakes in implementing the reform violated the interests of some big bureaucrats, such as the opening of the national assembly and the establishment of an institutional Bureau. Some old ministers were deprived of their functions and powers and did not arrange measures. Of course, they firmly opposed it. Streamlining and reducing institutions, abolishing six ministries and dismissing "six Hall officials" are also too urgent.