Introduction
For quite some time, the Western world had treated China as a minion. The relations between the West and China were frosty and that was attributable to the fact that western nations imposed reforms that they thought would work in China. However, the situation changed when Mr. Anson Burlingame was appointed head of Chinese delegation to the West. He made a passionate speech to the president, and his efforts were rewarded when he signed the first equal treaty between the West and China. In Mr. Burlingame’s speech, he said that no Empire had developed than that of China. He stated that it had expanded its trade, it had a proper revenue system, and it had established a great school whereby modern science and languages were taught. All these changes were made during the Qing Dynasty.
Many factors contributed to the rise of Qing Dynasty. According to Zhang, the rulers of the Qing dynasty did not only pay attention to the law but also ensured that they had appointed the appropriate personnel in the enforcement of the law (315). That enhanced the proper running of government, as those who were employed were competent and capable of doing their work. The government of Qing also enhanced unity among its people by the construction of the ten temples.
The Western missionaries also contributed to the rise of the Qing Dynasty. They influenced the Chinese mainly in the field of science. From that, the Chinese were able to invent many products in the Qing Dynasty. During this period, there was a great improvement in the repair and maintenance of public works, and this contributed to the growth of many cities in the region. The inventions during the Qing Dynasty era led to added.
The other factor that contributed to the rise of the Qing dynasty was the military organization of the government. It was organized in units whereby each group was given a different banner. The duties were divided according to the Chinese and the Manchu troops, and it is believed that during that era they were able to expand its border (Guy 36). The government positions were shared equally by the Chinese and the Manchu, and this contributed to stability in the political system of the country. Political stability is one of the main key factors that led to growth and development of the country.
The Most Important Points from the Speech
Burlingame insisted that the Empire of China, which was willing to work together with the United States, should not be mistreated and instead should be treated in a fair manner (Burlingame 12). He asked the United States to forget its superiority and allow the exchange of ideas with the Chinese Empire. Mr. Burlingame also asked for treaties that the United States had promised to give during the war to be effected in a generous manner (Burlingame 12). He insisted that the Empire of China had been subjected to very unfair deals, where some policies were forced on them without proper consultations.
Why it was difficult to Implement what Mr. Burlingame Outlined
The reason it was difficult for the Chinese government to achieve some of its goals was the large population of the country (Burlingame 13). The population posed a significant challenge to the government of China, as it was demanding to impose radical changes in a country where the population was high. The other problem was the introduction of foreign employees in the country, resulting in a large number of native people becoming unemployed. Some of the greatest men in the Empire also prevented the achievement of significant progress. For example, the idea of establishing a school in China was highly resisted by the ruling party, which was led with one of the greatest men in the Empire.
European imperialism was another factor that prevented China from achieving the goals outlined by Mr. Burlingame. Although Mr. Burlingame had outlined that the Chinese Empire should be left to run its government without western interference, European imperialism grew in the 19th and 20th centuries. For example, the Empire lost control of parts of its territory to European powers. Countries like France and Britain controlled trade along the Qing Chinese coastline, although these territories were technically part of the Empire (Duiker and Spielvogel 570).
The influence of the European powers on the Qing Empire showed that the Empire was vulnerable and on the verge of crumbling. The fact that a country like France created its own colony within the Qing Empire and named it Indochina encouraged other countries to follow suit and spread their spheres of influence on the large Chinese Empire. As more foreign powers exerted their military and trade control on the Chinese Empire, power and attention shifted from the imperial government to the foreign powers (Duiker and Spielvogel 570).
Apart from the external pressure exerted by European powers, the Empire also faced internal pressure, which led to its disintegration. Manchus was the tribe that used to rule China during the Qing Dynasty. They were foreigners from the eastern part of China. The form of government during this period was similar to that of Ming Dynasty, but there were just some few adjustments. The positions of the government were held in an equal number of Chinese and the Manchu. However, the Manchu had a lot of power than the Chinese. The Manchu maintained their dominance over the Chinese but still they managed to preserve their identity. Intermarriage between the Manchu and the Chinese was banned in Qing Dynasty (Tan 213).
The Chinese had very little loyalty to the Manchus. The Manchus proved their disloyalty during the Opium Wars. In response, the Qing rulers clamped down opposition from the reformers (Duiker and Spielvogel 570). Though the Manchus still clung to power, their influence was waning. Due to their division, it was not easy to unite the country and overthrow the foreign powers. Consequently, the last emperor fled in 1912, thus ending the Qing Empire.
Conclusion
The Qing Dynasty is one of the greatest empires in the history of China. There were significant achievements made during this period, which contributed to the growth of the Empire. The government system of the Qing dynasty was organized in the sense that every position of government had an equal number of the Manchus and the Chinese. The well-organized government resulted in improvement in public works. In the speech delivered by Mr. Burlingame, there are some interesting points that can be derived from it. He insisted that the United States should treat China in a fair and just manner. The United States was not to take the advantage of its superiority to China and instead they were supposed to share ideas that would promote growth and development of both countries. However, some factors hindered the development of the Chinese government as envisioned in the speech delivered by Mr.Bulingame. The large population of the country, opposition from the other great men in the government and a large number of the unemployed citizens were among those factors. The influence of European imperial powers and divisions within the Empire also contributed to the sluggish implementation of the objectives outlined by Mr. Burlingame.
Works Cited
Burlingame, A. Banquet to His Excellency Anson Burlingame and Associates of the Chinese Embassy 1868.New York: Sun Book and Job Print. House, 1868
Duiker, William J, and Jackson J Spielvogel. The Essential World History. Print.
Guy, R K. Qing Governors and Their Provinces: The Evolution of Territorial Administration in
China, 1644-1796. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2010. Print.
Tan, Koon S. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. 2014. Print.
Zhang, Jinfan. The Tradition and Modern Transition of Chinese Law. 2013. Internet resource.
