China’s May Fourth Movement and the Rise of the Marxist Alternative
nSun Yat-sen’s Revolutionary Alliance had spearheaded the overthrow of the Qing, but Sun’s political power was weak from the start.
nIncreasing Japanese encroachment into China’s internal affairs led to the May Fourth Movement in 1919.
nThe movement sought Western-style reforms but proved ineffective against powerful warlords not interested in yielding power.
nThe example of the Russian Revolution and the ideology behind Marxist theory led Mao Zedong to form the Communist Party of China.
