4 Mai 1919 Jahr - May Fourth Movement 1919

Beschreibung:

Student-led protest in Beijing in 1919 against the decision of the Treaty of Versailles to give the German leased territory of Kiaochow to Japan.

POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE

- expressed popular dissatisfaction towards Japan and foreign powers for perceived 'betrayal' at ToV (e.g. 21 Demands, Kiaochow)

- led to the emergence of the CCP (1921) aided by the USSR: the USSR's model of communism came to be seen as a desirable alternative to capitalism, as the USSR had not been a signatory of the ToV and therefore had not betrayed China as the Western powers had. Chen Duxiu, who would become the young CCP's most important thinker and scholar, recruited supports for communism using his position as editor of the New Youth Magazine.

- rise of nationalism: anger against foreign powers translated into a surge in nationalism as students criticised the old Chinese government and turned to alternatives such as the GMD. The GMD benefitted from the May 4th movement but did not give it formal support, as they believed in the Confucian ideals that the movement rejected.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

- rejection of Confucian ideology & patriarchal family and promotion of individual freedom

- promotion of science and technology: students called for technological improvements as a way of social reform; Chen Duxiu called for "Mr. Confucius" to be replaced by "Mr. Science" and "Mr. Democracy"

- literary revolution of outdated writing system: books written for academics had to be translated into vernacular literature to be accessible to the masses

- attempted to emancipate women: ending foot binding

WAS IT A TURNING POINT?

Yes - heralded the rise of the CCP

Mao: the May 4th and NCM "marked a new stage in China's bourgeois-democratic revolution against imperialism and feudalism"

No - its demands were not reflected in society, and Mao's claim is arguably biased as he is discussing the emergence of his own party & could be argued that CCP failed to uphold many of the NCM and May 4th movement's principles (Mr. Science and Mr. Democracy, women's emancipation) and therefore the movement was also a failure in the long term

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