Question

What led to the Qing dynasty's decline in China during the nineteenth
century?

Answer 1

The Qing Dynasty's decline was a result of isolationism, the opium crisis, and corruption, leading to military weakness, famines, uprisings like the Taiping Rebellion, and ineffective reforms. The defeat in the Opium Wars and exclusion from international treaties further confirmed its weakened state and inability to maintain control.

Step-by-step explanation:

Factors Leading to the Decline of the Qing Dynasty:

The decline of the Qing Dynasty in the nineteenth century can be attributed to various factors, including economic, social, and political challenges. Isolationism played a crucial role as China's decision to not engage in trade or establish relationships with European powers left it technologically behind and economically vulnerable. The growth of the opium trade, especially after the Opium Wars, significantly weakened China, both financially and through widespread addiction among its officials and populace.

The corruption within the government eroded public trust and administrative efficacy, rendering the dynasty incapable of managing disasters, such as famines and infrastructure failures like the maintenance of the Grand Canal. Devastating internal uprisings, especially the Taiping Rebellion, drained resources and caused immense loss of life, further destabilizing the empire. Moreover, the inability to fend off foreign invaders and resist European colonial ambitions highlighted the Qing military's obsolescence and hastened the collapse of traditional Chinese structures of power.

Efforts at reform, such as the Hundred Days Reform, were too little and too late, facing stiff opposition from conservative elements within China, including the Empress Dowager Cixi. The loss in the Russo-Japanese War and the absence in international diplomatic resolutions, such as the Treaty of Portsmouth, underscored the Qing's diminished standing in world affairs. These multifaceted issues culminated in the Qing's inability to maintain control, leading to its eventual downfall and the end of imperial rule in China.

Answer 2

• Internal revolts.
• Western ambition.
• Corruption.
• Conservative leadership.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Qing was the last dynasty of Imperial China and ruled from 1644 to 1912. In the 19th century, the empire went into a decline that it never recovered from.

This decline was brought on by certain factors with internal revolts being one of them. Revolts like the Taiping Rebellion and the Dungan Revolt weakened the empire with millions of deaths. Another factor were foreign powers like the western Europeans and America who were superior to the Chinese in military might. After several wars with the Chinese, they took over land and gained preferential treatment in China that reduced the influence of the government over its own people.

There was also corruption on a massive scale that served to alienate the populace. Capping all that was the conservative leadership of the government especially Empress Dowager Cixi which saw the empire resist change politically, economically and militarily. This led to further defeats for the Chinese and the end of the empire in 1912.