White Lotus Rebels and South China Pirates

Nonfiction, History, Modern, 19th Century, Asian, China, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, International
Cover of the book White Lotus Rebels and South China Pirates by Wensheng Wang, Harvard University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Wensheng Wang ISBN: 9780674727991
Publisher: Harvard University Press Publication: January 6, 2014
Imprint: Harvard University Press Language: English
Author: Wensheng Wang
ISBN: 9780674727991
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Publication: January 6, 2014
Imprint: Harvard University Press
Language: English

The reign of Emperor Jiaqing (1796-1820 CE) has occupied an awkward position in studies of China's last dynasty, the Qing. Conveniently marking a watershed between the prosperous eighteenth century and the tragic post-Opium War era, this quarter century has nevertheless been glossed over as an unremarkable interlude separating two well-studied epochs of transformation. White Lotus Rebels and South China Pirates presents a major reassessment of this period by examining how the emperors, bureaucrats, and foreigners responded to the two crises that shaped the transition from the Qianlong to the Jiaqing reign. Wensheng Wang argues that the dramatic combination of internal uprising and transnational piracy, rather than being a hallmark of inexorable dynastic decline, propelled the Manchu court to reorganize itself through modifications in policymaking and bureaucratic structure. The resulting Jiaqing reforms initiated a process of state retreat that pulled the Qing Empire out of a cycle of aggressive overextension and resistance, and back onto a more sustainable track of development. Although this pragmatic striving for political sustainability was unable to save the dynasty from ultimate collapse, it represented a durable and constructive approach to the compounding problems facing the late Qing regime and helped sustain it for another century.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The reign of Emperor Jiaqing (1796-1820 CE) has occupied an awkward position in studies of China's last dynasty, the Qing. Conveniently marking a watershed between the prosperous eighteenth century and the tragic post-Opium War era, this quarter century has nevertheless been glossed over as an unremarkable interlude separating two well-studied epochs of transformation. White Lotus Rebels and South China Pirates presents a major reassessment of this period by examining how the emperors, bureaucrats, and foreigners responded to the two crises that shaped the transition from the Qianlong to the Jiaqing reign. Wensheng Wang argues that the dramatic combination of internal uprising and transnational piracy, rather than being a hallmark of inexorable dynastic decline, propelled the Manchu court to reorganize itself through modifications in policymaking and bureaucratic structure. The resulting Jiaqing reforms initiated a process of state retreat that pulled the Qing Empire out of a cycle of aggressive overextension and resistance, and back onto a more sustainable track of development. Although this pragmatic striving for political sustainability was unable to save the dynasty from ultimate collapse, it represented a durable and constructive approach to the compounding problems facing the late Qing regime and helped sustain it for another century.

More books from Harvard University Press

Cover of the book The Invention of Humanity by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book Long Wars and the Constitution by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book Hezbollah by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book The Age of Addiction by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book The Power of Market Fundamentalism by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book The Oracle and the Curse by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book The Aga Khan Case by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book From Steel to Slots by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book Rules, Reason, and Self-Knowledge by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book After Nature by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book Women, Islam, and Abbasid Identity by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book Technosystem by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book Theory of the Lyric by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book The Right to Do Wrong by Wensheng Wang
Cover of the book The Global Transformation of Time by Wensheng Wang
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy