Peasant Revolutions overthrowing the monarchy

How the French and Chinese revolutions are similar

The French Revolution was a major event in European history that took place between 1789 and 1799. It was a period of radical political and social change in France that had significant impacts on the country and on Europe as a whole. The revolution was sparked by a variety of factors, including financial crisis, social inequality, and a desire for political reform.

During the French Revolution, the French monarchy was overthrown and a democratic republic was established. The revolution also led to the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which outlined the rights and freedoms of French citizens.

The revolution was marked by violence and upheaval, including the Reign of Terror, in which thousands of people were executed or imprisoned without trial. The French Revolution also had significant global impacts, with many other countries being inspired by the ideals of liberty and democracy that it represented. It remains an important event in the history of France and the world. Both my wife and I have long been interested in this period of history and also how it led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The Chinese Revolution refers to a series of events that occurred in China between 1911 and 1949, culminating in the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

The revolution began in 1911, this event was the culmination of a decade of agitation, revolts, and uprisings. Its success marked the collapse of the Chinese monarchy, the end of 2,132 years of imperial rule in China and the overthrow of 276 years of Qing dynasty, and the beginning of China's early republican era.

The Qing dynasty was weakened by internal corruption and external pressures, including foreign intervention in Chinese affairs. The overthrow of the Qing dynasty had been planned by Dr Sun Yat-sen for many years and it is widely believed it was led by Dr Sun, but in fact when the final flash-point came on 10 October 1911, with the Wuchang Uprising, an armed rebellion among members of the New Army, Dr Sun was out of the country and had to rush back to establish his involvement.

My wife and I visited Dr Sun’s birthplace in 1984, the village of Cuiheng, Xiangshan County (now Zhongshan City), Guangdong. He is called the "Father of the Nation" in Taiwan, and the "Forerunner of the Revolution" in the People's Republic of China for his instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty. Sun is unique among 20th-century Chinese leaders for being widely revered in both Mainland China and Taiwan.

The French Revolution and the Chinese Revolution were both major turning points in their respective countries' histories, and both were driven by similar ideals of democracy and social justice. In both cases, the revolutions were sparked by growing discontent among the people with the existing political and social systems, which were perceived as corrupt and oppressive.

One key similarity between the two revolutions was their emphasis on the concept of "liberté, égalité, fraternité" (liberty, equality, fraternity) in France, and "equality, freedom, and democracy" in China. Both revolutions sought to overthrow the existing regimes and establish more inclusive and fair societies, where all citizens could enjoy equal rights and opportunities.

Both the French and Chinese revolutions also saw significant changes in the social and political structures of their respective countries. In France, the revolution led to the abolition of feudalism, the establishment of a democratic government, and the drafting of a new constitution. In China, the revolution resulted in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty, the establishment of the Republic of China, and the introduction of various social and political reforms, such as land reform and the establishment of a new legal system.

One of the central events of the French Revolution was to abolish feudalism, and the old rules, taxes and privileges left over from the age of feudalism. This was announced on August 1789, the first year of the revolution, although it took a number of years to be clarified/applied.

A similar reform occurred in China but many years after the initial 1911 revolution, the Land Reform Movement was a mass movement led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Mao Zedong during the 1940/50s. This achieved land redistribution to the peasantry. Landlords had their land confiscated and they were subjected to mass killing by the CCP and former tenants, with the estimated death toll ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions. I guess this could be called the Chinese version of the Reign of Terror. The campaign resulted in hundreds of millions of peasants receiving a plot of land for the first time.

I see echo’s of these revolutions and land reform to this day. I have witnessed the French national day celebrations first hand and I have travelled in China in October many times and I have witnessed the explosion of nationalist banners along the roads on even small country towns. The land reform in both countries, to me has reduced (the push for) large centralised farms and partially explains the many people I see in both countries still carrying out traditional farming practises.

I have for many years read about the push for large centralised farms in China, especially in the north of China where I assume the land is less fertile and the growing seasons are much shorter. I have not travelled in the north of China apart from visiting Beijing. I hope to travel extensively in the north on China in the next few years to observe for myself.

My wife and I went on a winery tour this year, 2022, in France, we were guided and educated extensively by a fourth generation wine grower. It was very informative and I was surprised how many changes to wine growing that were being introduced, methods to greatly reduce or eliminate pesticides, and reducing fertiliser use etc, but it was also interesting to hear about the difficulty of introducing change until the older generation had relinquished control. At the same time it was apparent that many of the wineries were still far two small to operate efficiently, and they had often formed collectives to consolidated their crops to reduce the cost of the wine making. The negative outcome of this was that individuals were unable to change and modernise their operations without the consent of the collective, thus slowing progress greatly.