The man who freed China from its 4000 years old absolute monarchy and whose ruling principle was “The Earth and the Universe belong to everyone” was none other than Dr. Sun Yat Sen. In the event, of which he was the main architect— the Revolution of 1911— was not necessarily “the greatest event since Waterloo” as his wife was to describe it; he certainly brought his country out of the 4th century to the 20th century by his idealism and integrity.
Dr. Sun Yat Sen is well known in the history of China as the Father of Modern China. He was born on 27th November, 1866 in a village near the city of Canton (Island of Macao). His father was a poor farmer. He had come under the influence of Christian missionaries and as converted to Christianity. Therefore, Sun had received some kind of modern light from the missionaries. At the age of 13, he went to Honolulu to join his elder brother, who had emigrated there some years before. He gained one advantage by going to this place. This was a bi city with some good educational institutions. Here he joined an English school, where he learnt English and other Western sciences. Thus he came into contact with the Western civilization. At the age of 17, he returned to China, but did not like to work as a peasant in the farm and decided to continue his studies. Under the influence of Christianity, he began to criticize old Chinese religions and openly mocked at the old Chinese traditions and idols kept in the Chinese temples. Many villagers did not like it and even wanted to kill the young revolutionary. Ultimately his parents sent him out. He went to Hongkong and joined Queen’s Medical College. At the age of 18, he was baptized as a Christian. By 1892 A.D., he became a Medical graduate. During his studies, he came very close to one of his teachers, Sir James Cantlie, who was to play an important role in his life and also became his biographer. He joined his medical profession, but soon gave it up for political activities. He dedicated himself for the rebirth of his country into the modern world as maker of its own destiny.
Political activities of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen: In 1894 A.D., he formed a Secret Society with the object of uplifting the Chinese people by education, better cultivation of the soil, and more efficient production of goods. Branches of this society were organized at various points. As this Society was secret, its members had to act in a very cautious manner. A number of efforts were made to carry out a revolution, but these efforts failed. With the failure of each attempt, a number of its members were caught and hanged by the government. A prize was fixed at the head of Dr. Sun yat Sen. He fled away to Japan. This was the time when China was being defeated in the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95). The Japanese promised to help him and thus his movement gained some importance in Japan, where a large number of Chinese were living, who also provided him financial support.
In England: In 1896 A.D., he went to London. Here he met a number of Chinese revolutionaries. While he was walking on one of the streets of London, a number of persons caught hold of him and he was dragged into the Chinese Embassy. The secret object of this act was to take him to China where he was to be hanged. At this stage he began to cry and was successful in conveying the news of his imprisonment to Sir James Cantlie. Sir James wrote to the British ministry and sought its help for the release of Dr. Sun, but with no success. So he wrote to the Editor of the London Times, a leading newspaper in England. The publication of this letter had a great effect. Soon the Govt. of England also acted and forced the Chinese government to release Dr. Sun. From England, he went to U.S.A. and here he collected a huge amount for the revolutionaries. Later on, he returned to Japan and from here he began to encourage the revolutionary activities. Although his one after the other attempts failed, he did not gave up his sustained efforts for overthrowing the Manchus. The result was that within a short time, the revolutionary movement began to gain momentum. In the meantime, the Railway agitation became quite serious. The issue of granting concessions of local railways brought the Chinese revolution of 1911 A.D. At that time Sun-yat-Sen was in U.S.A. It was here that he read the news of a revolt in China. In the beginning, he did not take it to be a serious one. He continued to collect money for the revolutionaries. From U.S.A., he came to England and from here to China. After the success of the revolution of 1911, the Republic was established in China and Dr. Sun-yat-Sen became its first President. On January 1, 1912 A.D., he entered Nanking, the Republican capital and received a salute of 21 guns. It appeared that within a short time, the whole of China would be under the control of the Republican Government. But this was not to happen, as Yuan-shi-Kai was playing his cards quite well and was creating difficulties for the Republicans. Ultimately, Dr. Sun found a solution by stepping down in favour of Yuan.
On February 12, 1912 A.D., the Manchu Emperor declared to abdicate in favour of the Republic. Thus the Imperial dynasty came to an end in China and a Republic was established in its place.
Setback to Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen: Although Yuan became the President, he was not a Republican from the core of his heart. Therefore, within a short time, he dissolved the Chinese Parliament as he was willing to become an Emperor and wanted to establish his own dynasty. This made the people of China very desperate. They decided to revolt against him. Soon China was divided into two camps. One camp, led by Dr. Sun, was in favour of the Republic, while the second camp was on Yuan’s side. The Republicans raised the banner of revolt under Dr. Sun, but were badly defeated and Dr. Sun was forced to flee to Japan. In the meantime, Yuan-Shih-Kai died and thus China was saved from a long civil-war. After Yuan’s death, Sun-Yat-Sen returned to China and was successful in winning the support of some war-lords (Tuchuns).
Congress of K.M.T. (1923 A.D.): In September, 1922 Dr. Sun was taking rest in Shanghai after suffering from illness. There he called a meeting of eminent nationalist leaders. It was decided to call a Congress of Nationalist leaders. In January 1923 A.D., the Kuo-Min-Tang manifesto was released which gave a programme of Democracy. This programme enunciated the principle “of striving for the revision of existing treaties to restore China to the status of a free and equal member in the family of nations” as a basic principle of the K.M.T. as far its foreign policy was concerned.
Soviet help obtained: Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen approached various nations of the world seeking their support. He was educated and had spent a larger part of his life in the West, but unfortunately no Democratic country came to his rescue. It was only Lenin’s Soviet Government, who promised to help him. Today American historians repent for not helping China at that time. They are of the opinion, and are quite right, that had U.S.A. then helped Dr. Sun and his K.M.T. at that critical juncture, China would not have been Red today. Soviet Union not only gave financial assistance, but even sent advisors like Borodin. He advised Dr. Sun to organize K.M.T. on the lines of Soviet Communist Party. Further, it was decided that the Communists of China coud become members in their individual capacity of the K.M.T. It was under this clause that Mao-Tse-Tung became a member of the K.M.T. Thus the K.M.T. and the C.C.P. (Chinese Communist Party) were united under the leadership of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen. For some years the relations between the two parties continued in an amicable manner.
Efforts to unite China: At that time, China was under the rule of the war-lords, who had become semi-independent under Yuan-Shih-Kai. After his death, they had virtually assumed independence. It was quite difficult to suppress their power. Dr. Sun tried to suppress their power, but unfortunately had no independent army with himself. Consequently, most of the China remained free, consisting of small independent principalities. To meet this new challenge, Dr. Sun adopted two policies:
- Firstly, he started a military academy and Gen. Chiang-Kai-Shek was made its Principal.
- Secondly, he won the friendship of one war-lord and defeated the other. Thus, he crushed the power of the war-lords.
Within a short period, he achieved many successes. He was carrying on his work very vigorously, when unfortunately he fell ill and died on 12th March, 1925 A.D.
Political Philosophy of Dr.
Sun-Yat-Sen
In nationalist China, the writings of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen occupied the same cardinal position as those of Marx and Lenin in Soviet Union. The heart of Sen’s teachings is to be found in its favour in the series of lectures delivered in 1924, on the three People’s Principles (San Min Chu). These three principles correspond to Lincoln’s famous Trinity of Government “of the people, by the people and for the people,” and are commonly translated as Nationalism, Democracy and People’s Livelihood. Although Sun Fu, the son of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen prefers to translate them as National Democracy, Political Democracy and Economic Democracy.
Sun’s lectures, as pointed out by himself, were hastily prepared and even improved without adequate use of reference-books, and at a time when Sun’s health was not very good. Admirers of Dr. Sun point out that inspite of these facts they prove that these were the real needs of China in those days.
1. Nationalism: At the time when Sun-Yat-Sen delivered his lectures, he was strongly under the influence of his Russian advisor, Michael Borodin. In his lectures on Nationalism, he strongly attacked Imperialism and Capitalism, and praised Soviet Russia and Communism for their attacks on these evils. In the Marxist way, he expected that a Civil war would break out among the Capitalist countries.
Sun-Yat-Sen found the source of China’s inability to resist foreign imperialism in the absence of the strong feelings of Nationalism, and his lectures constitute an attempt to build such a feeling by an emotional attack on foreign misdeeds and by a glorification of China’s traditional greatness. Dr. Sun said, “China was a heap of loose sand.” He felt that the lack of a strong national bond made it possible for other countries to take advantage of China’s weakness and turn the land into a sub-colony. This colony was dominated by unjust principles. It was facing three kinds of foreign pressure:
- Firstly, there was the pressure of foreign population. Japan had been trying to settle her extra-population in China.
- Secondly, there was political pressure. This meant that the foreigners had seized some part of China’s territory in the Battle of Concessions.
- Thirdly, there was the economic pressure, which meant that the foreigners had obtained many trade and railway concessions.
Unless China met these different pressures, he thought that within a few years China would lose her independence. In this way, Dr. Sun warned the Chinese that Nationalism was an important thing. If it was not acquired within a short time, the Chinese would lose their national character. Thus he laid stress upon encouraging the feelings of Nationalism in China. Therefore, Sun-Yat-Sen said that 400 million Chinese (population of China in 1910) must become imbued with a spirit of nationalism. He wanted that Chinese should assume the leadership of the oppressed people in the world. (Japan in later years tried to do so when she raised the slogan of ‘Asia for the Asians.’) The spirit of nationalism would arise only if the Chinese realized the danger which their nation was facing from foreign enemies. Chinese nationalism, however, in contrast to European nationalism was to be based upon the traditional Chinese philosophy of (i) loyalty (ii) filial piety (iii) kindness (iv) love (v) faithfulness (vi) justice (vii) harmony and (viii) peace. Such a philosophy, Dr. Sun maintained, was not a threat to the rest of the world. This would, according to him, establish harmony between the Western Sciences and the ancient Chinese traditions.
2. Democracy: The second principle of his principle of his philosophy was Democracy. Sun-Yat-Sen said that the present age was an age of democracy throughout the world. In order to become a strong nation, China must be democratic. However, Dr. Sun was not in favour of the Western form of democracy. He was particularly critical of the idea of liberty. He insisted that China had rather too much of liberty. He insisted that the Chinese must maintain some kind of discipline. He also criticized the Western idea of Equality. He thought that men were basically unequal. Kings were bad as they exaggerated a natural inequality. Sun-Yat-Sen believed that there were three types of people or classes:
- Those who see first. They are the creators and discoverers, who possess superior wisdom and insight and can view the things themselves.
- Those who see later. They are the people who see only when they are instructed by other.
- Those who never see.
Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen asserted that in the Western democracy no such distinction was made. Therefore, it was a very improper kind of democracy. Under such circumstances, Dr. Sun proposed that democracy should be introduced in China in three stages. Firstly, those people who could see should be allowed to run the Government. Later on, those people who can see when instructed, should be allowed to take part in the administration. Lastly, the remaining part of the people should be given a chance to participate in the administration of the country.
3.
People’s
Livelihood: In his lectures on Democracy, Dr. Sun had made it clear that
the two functions of a democratic government were (i) to defend the people
against foreign enemies, and (ii) to provide them with economic needs.
Therefore, the third principle of Dr. Sun’s philosophy was to transform the
Chinese economy. Sun said that it was the responsibility of the State to
provide food, clothing, shelter and means of travel for everyone, i.e. to ensure
them livelihood. To Dr. Sun, livelihood was the central problem of the society.
Sun-Yat-Sen had been greatly influenced by the philosophy of Karl Marx, but he
wanted to maintain the tradition of harmony and peace in the Chinese society.
Therefore, he maintained that there should be an adjustment of economic
interest. Sun-Yat-Sen wanted to modernize China. He knew that without the
foreign help, it was not possible to develop China within a short period.
Therefore, he wanted to encourage both the Chinese as well the foreign
capitalists for the development of China. Dr. Sun thought that two things were
essential for the realization of the people’s livelihood— the equalization of
land ownership and government control of capital. The two problems were closely
connected for, according to Dr. Sun, China’s greatest capitalists were the
owners of the land, but not the owners of factories. Therefore, he felt that in
a very proper manner, it should be distributed among the actual peasants. He
felt that every Chinese was a very poor man. Therefore, he felt, that not only
should the land be distributed properly, but scientific methods should be
adopted for increase in production. He was of the view that the government
should encourage agriculture and reduce taxes on the poor farmers.
Proper distribution of Food Supply: Dr. Sun felt that proper measures be adopted for the proper distribution of food supplies. Food stuffs should be properly conserved. He also suggested irrigation, rotation of crops, protection against floods, better machinery, fertilizers, eradication of pests, preservation of food and better transportation facilities could improve production. Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen suggested that these improvements should be achieved through Straight Action.
Borrowing of Foreign Capital: As China was a poor country, it had to borrow money from other countries. Without this help, China could not set up huge factories.
Impact of Sun’s Teachings: The teachings of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen had a deep impact upon the future course of history. The Kuo-Min-Tang government adopted a new constitution, which was based upon the three principles of Sun-Yat-Sen (San-Min-Chu I). “It is Democratic Republic, governed for the people and by the people.” Similarly article 142 of the constitution provided that “natonal economy shall be based on the principle of people’s livelihood, for it was the distribution of land ownership and capital (money) in order to obtain a well balanced development of Public Economy and Private livelihood.”
Article 143 provided that “All land within the territory of the Republic of China shall in principle belong to whole body of citizens. Private ownership of land, acquired by the people in accordance with law shall be protected and restricted by law. Privately owned land shall be liable to taxation according to its value and government may buy such land. ”
In 1949 A.D., when the Communists acquired the Chinese power, they also adopted many of the principles of Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen. It is a matter of great importance that both the Communists and the K.M.T. Party regard Dr. Sun-Yat-Sen as the ‘Father of the modern Chinese nation.’
