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Modern China (pt. 1): The Taiping & Boxer Rebellions w/ Ken Hammond
🕑 Added 2024-04-01 13:45:26 +0000 UTCIn this episode of Guerrilla History, we launch our 4 part miniseries on modern Chinese history featuring Ken Hammond (and guest host Breht O'Shea of Revolutionary Left Radio) with this terrific discussion on the Taiping and Boxer Rebellions! Be sure to go back and listen to the previous episode we did with Ken in the fall, which serves as a bit of an introductory work for this miniseries. The other three installments will drop every other week (with other episodes in between), and will cover the Chinese Revolution/Civil War, the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, and the Reform period, so be sure to subscribe to not miss any of those coming episodes!
Ken Hammond is Professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University. He has been engaged in radical politics since his involvement in the anti-war movement at Kent State in 1968-70. Ken is also the author of the book Chinaβs Revolution & the Quest for a Socialist Future.
Comments
capn_snooze
Am I crazy or does Henry say "edumacational" @1:19:34 ?
Stephen S.
What are the other two episodes with Ken about? Are either on the Second Opium War or was that already covered? I finished Harry Gelberβs Battle for Beijing this morning and found it helpful historically, but Eurocentric and orientalist trash between historical facts.
Revolutionary Left Radio
Yea, its fascinating to see the Taiping Rebellion as a fight for economic egalitarianism and the Boxer Rebellion as an anti-imperialist struggle for self-determination -- BOTH of which prefigure the rise of the Communist Party and help explain the deep mass support for the Communists. These ideas were not new or novel, they already had a history in China. Its beautiful.
Revolutionary Left Radio
Oh yes, the next three episodes - totaling like 6 more hours of content - are all bangers! This one was a great starting point, but it only gets better from here. After listening to this full series, you'll triple the ammo in your arsenal for understanding and defending China! What's super interesting, is that Ken himself has been politically active as a Marxist since the Chinese Rev, supported the Gang of Four, was initially suspicious about Deng and his reforms, and then after years of following the reforms, came around to supporting them. So Ken's life has paralleled and been intertwined with all of this history, and that deepens his analysis considerably! Very excited to share the rest of this series with listeners!
Lefty In Training
Love hearing anything about this period of Chinese history. Like another said, this period seems like a great case study in imperialism and anti-inperialism. Can't wait for the next episodes.
Jill Susan
Always having to defend China to others --- I'm excited to get some more knowledge and talking points! Looking forward to the next one! And... I one of these days I'll have to search out Prof Ken Hammond bc UNM is in the city I live in. βπ»
Revolutionary Left Radio
I agree, and thank you for listening and for this feedback! Understanding the Century of Humiliation, and how the Chinese Masses fought back bravely over generations is deeply inspiring and deeply human.
Bill
The egregious malintent of the opium wars never fails to shake me. They are certain reminders that there was - or is- no limit to imperial violence when it comes to protecting *their* free trade and extractivism. The opium wars are a classic example of this and I am appreciative of the podcast for outlining the dialectical impact it had on China and the development of anti-imperialist efforts, particularly the Taiping and the Boxer Rebellions.
