Province and Politics in Late Imperial China: Viceregal Government in Szechwan 1898-1911

Province and Politics in Late Imperial China explores the administration of the Szechwan governor-general, a regional government with significant powers in various parts of China, and its struggle with disruptive modernization. It demonstrates how the governor-general's modernizing activities led to the breakdown of viceregal government and highlights the pattern of disruptive modernization in Chinese politics and ecology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 146 pages
Publication date: 30 August 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

First published in 1984, Province and Politics in Late Imperial China delves into the analysis of one of the regional governments of China, specifically focusing on the administration of the Szechwan governor-general during a crucial period from its peak at the end of the nineteenth century to its downfall during the 1911 revolution. The Szechwan governor-general not only held authority revolution of 1911. He exerted significant influence over Kweichow, the Tibetan borderlands, parts of Yunnan and Hupei, and played a pivotal role in imperial politics. Consequently, he emerged as a regional rather than merely provincial figure, and Szechwan itself exemplified the characteristics of the Chinese regional system. This book aims to demonstrate that the primary challenge to the dominance of the Szechwan governors-general originated from their own modernizing endeavors. The viceregal government faced collapse as it attempted to employ traditional methods to achieve modern goals. In a microcosm, Szechwan showcases the pattern of disruptive modernization that characterized China during this time. This book holds immense interest for scholars of Chinese history.

Weight: 440g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032527406