Book Description

"The 1911 Revolution in China was a crucial event in the country's struggle to find a new political system, modernize its society and economy, and achieve a new world role. Mary Rankin demonstrates that the 1911 radicals bridged the gap between old-style scholar-rebels and twentieth-century revolutionaries, clearly foreshadowing both the left wing of the republican period and the Communist leaders. " " In this book I have approached the 1911 Revolution through the "student" radicals in a particular part of China. The result falls part way between local history and a topical case study. The localities, Chekiang and Shanghai, do not fit neatly into the usual regional divisions because one is a province and the other a unique metropolis in a neighboring province. Nonetheless, close ties did exist between the two areas, particularly within the revolutionary movement, and in combination they present an excellent opportunity to study the other facet of my concern: the aims and behavior of the radical intellectuals."