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A History of the Kuomintang to 1948

Chapter Two: A History of the Kuomintang to 1948.

This chapter surveys the origin and evolution of the KMT from its beginnings to the period of its establishment as the single-party ruler of the ROC on the island of Taiwan. It will particularly note changes in the internal structure of the KMT as these shed led upon the current structure and functioning of the party as it struggles to cope with the process of democratization on Taiwan.

Foundation of the KMT as a Revolutionary Party

The historical connection between Sun Yat-sen and the KMT is widely known. Less well known but no less important for the present study are the origins of the party in Sun's personal career as an anti-imperialist revolutionary influenced by European models. KMT history charts the birth of the party from the vestiges of the first revolutionary organization in modern China in 1894 (Hsing Chung Hui, later Tung Meng Hui or TMH). In 1895, Sun was targeted by the imperial Manchus as a revolutionary conspirator and went into exile until 1911. Meanwhile, from 1905 to 1911, the TMH organized anti-imperial uprisings throughout China. When in late 1911 the TMH persuaded the imperial military garrison in Wuchang to leave its barracks, other garrisons followed, resulting in the abdication of Manchu Emperor Pu Yi and the proclamation of Dr. Sun as first provisional president of the Republic of China (KC, 1994). The KMT's history declares that when Sun "ceded his position to Yuan Shih-kai on April 1, 1912" (p. 333), he did so with the understanding that the imperial tradition of the ruled serving the ruler would be reversed, so that in the ROC the ruler's function would be one of public service.

The establishment of the ROC meant that the TMH could discard its status as a revolutionary-insurgency organization. Its merger with other revolutionary factions in 1912 led to a name change: the Kuomintang, with Sun as party leader. In other words, the KMT as s...

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A History of the Kuomintang to 1948. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 21:43, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1687016.html