Westernization movement, also known as self-improvement movement. It was a self-help movement of the Westernization School in the late Qing Dynasty from 1960s to 1990s, using western military equipment, machine production and science and technology under the slogan of "self-improvement" and "seeking wealth".
Knowledge expansion:
The Westernization Movement was an important historical event in the modern history of China, which took place from 65438 to 1960. The purpose of this movement is to revitalize China by introducing western technologies and systems, so as to realize the modernization and prosperity of the country.
The background of the Westernization Movement was the grim situation that the Qing government was facing domestic troubles and foreign invasion. At home, the Taiping Rebellion and the Nian Army Rebellion occurred constantly, and foreign powers also threatened the rule of the Qing government through various means. In this case, the Qing government decided to take some measures to revitalize the country, including introducing western technology and systems.
The main contents of the Westernization Movement include military affairs, industry, education and culture. Militarily, the Westernization School advocated the introduction of western weapons and military technology and the establishment of a modern army. They also advocate sending overseas students to the west to study military technology and cultivate modern military talents.
These measures were reflected in the later Sino-Japanese War. Although the Qing government finally failed, these modern troops and military technologies played an important role in promoting China's modernization process.
In industry, the Westernization School advocates the establishment of a modern industrial system by introducing western technology and equipment. They founded many modern factories and mines, including Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, Fuzhou Shipping Bureau and Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau. These factories and mines have played an important role in promoting the industrialization of China, and also promoted the development of Chinese national capitalism.
In addition to military and industrial aspects, the Westernization Movement also paid attention to education and cultural reform. They advocate the introduction of western educational systems and ideas and the establishment of a modern educational system.
At the same time, the Westernization School also advocates the idea of "Chinese style and western use", and advocates absorbing western culture and technology on the basis of maintaining China's traditional culture. These measures have played an important role in promoting China's modernization and cultural development.
The evaluation of the Westernization Movement is controversial. Some people think that it is a progressive movement, which laid the foundation for China's modernization process and the development of national capitalism. However, some people criticized that the Westernization Movement only introduced some superficial modern technologies, but failed to solve the deep-seated problems in China, such as social system and cultural values.
In addition, there are some problems in the Westernization Movement, such as overemphasizing technology introduction and industrialization while ignoring environmental and social impacts; There are also problems such as corruption and poor management in the way of joint venture between government and business.
In a word, the Westernization Movement was an important historical event in China's modern history, which laid the foundation for China's modernization process and the development of national capitalism. Although there are some problems and controversies, its significance and value can not be ignored.