: Challenges the "standard narrative" of Qing China as an inward-looking state that failed to modernize by highlighting its dynamic expansion and complex social systems.
: Analyzes the devastating 19th-century Opium Wars and massive internal uprisings like the Taiping and Boxer rebellions as catalysts for failed but foundational reforms. China's Last Empire: The Great Qing (History of...
: Covers the conquest and incorporation of Taiwan, Tibet, and Turkic peoples, which more than tripled the empire's size compared to the previous Ming dynasty. : Challenges the "standard narrative" of Qing China
: Explores the Qing ideal of "government on the cheap," a model of benevolent rule with light taxes and minimal local intervention that worked well until faced with 19th-century international pressures. : Explores the Qing ideal of "government on
, written by William T. Rowe and published by Belknap Press , is a revisionist history that challenges the traditional view of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) as a decadent, stagnant state . Rowe argues that the Qing was an expansive, "universal" empire that laid the territorial and social foundations for modern China. Key Features of the Book
: Includes a summary of major trends and approaches in Qing history over the past half-century, making it valuable for both specialists and general readers. Core Themes and Content
: Argues that early 20th-century state-mandated changes provided the essential foundation for the subsequent Republican and Communist states. Purchase Options