The Birth of Communist China

by C.P. Fitzgerald

This Pelican, which is a fully revised edition of the author's Revolution in China, sets out to assess the significance of the Chinese Revolution.

After sketching in the background of China's long history and social structure C. P. Fitzgerald, who is now Professor of Far Eastern History at Canberra, opens his main account at the fall of the Manchu Emperors in 1911 and traces the origins of revolution through the early republic of Sun Yat-sen and the Nationalist dictatorship of Chiang Kal-shek to the military campaigns Mao Tse-tung. He assesses the varying influences of Confucianism and Christianity, of East and West, and of the Japanese and Russians on this massive movement, and makes it abundantly clear that the China of today is not an inexplicable freak but a logical developmentof its immensely long past. Professor Fitzgerald has a gift for fluent narrative and a long experience of China, and his interpretation of one of the central political events of this century is as readable as it is reliable,

Genres: History, China, Nonfiction, Asia

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Charles Patrick Fitzgerald was a British historian. He was a professor of East Asian studies with particular focus on China.

Reviews

[Nathan Levin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skipped the last most of the last 2 chapters, as one was dedicated to "Possible Developments of the Chinese Revolution" and the other was not particularly interesting. This book is old, so it does not cover what happens in the 70s onwards. One interesting titbit I found was the USSR removing all industry from Manchuria after the war. One chapter is dedicated pointing out how communists are like Christians. An old, tired argument, but in the case of China, it makes some sense, given that a significant portion of CPC leaders were ex-Christian converts. I do not agree with most of what is argued here, but it is interesting none the less.

[Grazyna Nawrocka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was published in 1961, and the author must have relied on information he had from Chinese propaganda. He claims, that due to the government diligence no Chinese people were starving during drought in 1950s, and that all citizens are happy with the system.

Obviously the author hadn't been to China. This said, I am impressed with insights I have gained into the Chinese way of thinking. Traditionally, the other nations are believed to be "barbarians," and being Chinese citizen makes one civilized. Any religion might be considered superstition, and government is against spreading it. The land, which once belonged to China, is considered its property for ever. This explains current situation in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

It was also a very interesting overview of country's recent history.

[Alejandro Fajardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great insight into the first years of Communist China. I very fair and balanced perspective into Chinese affairs and its interaction with the West and other regional powers.