Comparing The Opium Wars And The Self-Strengthening Movement

Modernization is the concept that refers to the major social changes that occur when a traditional society rapidly shifts from the house to the factory, resulting in industrialization and the spread of education. Prior to the Opium Wars, imperial China lacked the proper ideology and infrastructure needed to successfully compete with the Western world, resulting in the “Century of Humiliation”, or the period of intervention and imperialism by foreign powers. Consequently, the imperial Qing court made numerous reforms in industry and education through the Self-Strengthening Movement to contend with the foreign powers and regain sovereignty. The Opium Wars, and the resulting Self-Strengthening Movement, were the catalyst towards a modernized China.
Trading strategies that exploit international markets are crucial for constructing a strong nation. The United Kingdom was the first adversary that lacked a border with China, and defeated Chinese forces on their territory. While the British East India Company had superior technology, the biggest distinction was the expansive ideology of the British, which adapted in response to threats. Conversely, the insular nature of the imperial Qing court failed to properly alter their tactics in response to the foreign powers. These beliefs were primarily due to the innate tradition of Chinese superiority over all other nations, or the dogma of the “Heavenly
Following these failures, the rise of the Self Strengthening Movement quickly became popular among the imperal Qing court. Particularly, advocates of the Self-Strengthening Movement sought to achieve national strength through the preservation of Qing rule and Confucian values, while simultaneously embracing Western industrial and military methods. The Qing imperial court, led primarily by Li Hongzhang, advanced military supply factories such as the Langzhou Machinery Bureau and the Jiangnan Manufacturing Office to provide military equipment and supplies mainly to the government and other regional military groups. However, records indicate that some mechanical products went to private enterprises through commercial channels, suggesting that the military industries served to stimulate the private sector as