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The Problem of China

Bertrand Russell

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The Problem of China | Bertrand Russell

The Problem of China

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In 1920-21 Bertrand Russell lived and taught in Peking (Beijing), publishing this book on his return to England. In 1920 he had visited Bolshevik Russia, talked to Lenin, and was unimpressed by what he had seen. China, however, was another matter. Like many travelers, he often saw what he wanted to see, and after Europe’s Great War, he found many signs of hope in China. In that country, he was welcomed by the young intellectuals who saw him as a representative of modern and scientific thought. They, however, were trying to cast off much of the old tradition that they thought held China back, and they were often opposed to Russell’s urging that they hold on to much of their own tradition, which he saw as superior to that of Europe, particularly after the terrible slaughter of 1914-18 on the continent. His work is very much a product of its time, and today, almost a century later, many are still trying to explain China -- a very different China from Russell's -- to an outside world.
s of interference by the Powers which they show no inclination to neglect. The way in which the situation is utilized may be illustrated by three telegrams in The Times which appeared during January of this year.

On January 14, 1922, The Times published the following in a telegram from its Peking correspondent:

It is curious to reflect that this country (China) could be rendered completely solvent and the Government provided with a substantial income almost by a stroke of the foreigner's pen, while without that stroke there must be bankruptcy, pure and simple. Despite constant civil war and political chaos, the Customs revenue consistently grows, and last year exceeded all records by £1,000,000. The increased duties sanctioned by the Washington Conference will provide sufficient revenue to liquidate the whole foreign and domestic floating debt in a very few years, leaving the splendid salt surplus unencumbered for the Government. The difficulty is not to provide money, but to find a Government to which to entrust it. Nor is there any visible prospect of the removal of this difficulty.

I venture to think The Times would regard the difficulty as removed if the Manchu Empire were restored.

As to the "splendid salt surplus," there are two telegrams from the Peking correspondent to The Times (of January 12th and 23rd, respectively) showing what we gain by making the Peking Government artificially bankrupt. The first telegram (sent on January 10th) is as follows:—

Present conditions in China are aptly illustrated by what is happening in one of the great salt revenue stations on the Yangtsze, near Chinkiang. That portion of the Chinese fleet faithful to the Central Government—the better half went over

Dayla 02/13/2022
If only our leaders in DC would read this book. It changes one's perspective; it changes one's feeling about how to interact with the Chinese people.
David 07/05/2020
Bertrand Russell's descriptions of China, a summary of the history and culture of China and the context in which it has existed in the world, is clear and truly witty Written in the early 1920s as it was transitioning away from the traditional fractured ruling mechanisms with a loose allegiance to t
Riza 01/17/2020
I think this is a valuable book. In this book, which wrote on 1922, China was in unstable politico-social world. Noteworthy, Russell laid a firmly believe in China in account for her lively millennial civilization. Russell goes to-and-fro reflecting the gist of Western, Chinese and also Japanese phi
Michael 08/10/2012
It's interesting to read about someone's views before they happen and then know how their recommendations (opinions) were played out in real history. This book opened my eyes to the history of not just the Chinese and China, but also to Japan and the Japanese. Mr. Russell's opinions were strong on h
Omar 05/08/2012
Has surprising relevance in today's global climate. Bertrand Russell, a thinker beyond his time, proves himself once again. A must read for anyone looking to understand a historical perspective and how Mr. Russell's China compares to today's rising Dragon.

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