The declaration of the Republic of China in 1912 signalled an entirely new era. Not only did
the revolution of 1911-1912 bring about the fall of the Qing dynasty: it also brought an end to
the entire series of dynasties which had marked Chinese history for over two millennia. Radical
reforms since 1901 had culminated in the ending of the political status quo and the rejection
of the very idea of empire. Drawing on the most recent historical research Xavier Paulès
provides a comprehensive account of the crucial but chaotic period that stretched from the
founding of the Republic of China in 1912 to the civil war of 1945-49 which ended with the
victory of the Chinese Communist Party and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.
Paulès challenges various common claims about this period. It is often assumed that the Chinese
Communist Party was instrumental in bringing about key events by skilfully mobilizing the
population to serve its ends. Paulès argues by contrast that the CCP took advantage of
fortunate circumstances and that even then they were only in a position to challenge the
supremacy of the Guomindang as late as 1944. His analysis takes a broad view by considering the
importance of political actors both within and external to the revolutionary movement enabling
him to offer a balanced interpretation of the republican period which sheds new light on
China's political cultural and economic development.
