This course examines the causes and consequences of 20th-century revolutions and the revolutionary process by focusing on the Chinese revolution, popularly dated from 1911-1949, but for the purposes of this class, from 1839 to 1949, as we will make clear during the course of the semester.

The course will provide the intellectual tools (theories) needed to study revolutions. We shall attempt to formulate a definition of “revolution,” from the many theories and models of revolution extant in the literature on revolution today. We will explain the causes and consequences of revolutions (focusing primarily on the Chinese revolution), and discuss the environment for revolutions in the world today.

READING MATERIALS

There are no required texts for this course. Reading materials will be provided for each topic in a timely manner.

Texts On Reserve

• James DeFronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements. 2nd edition, 1996

• Jack A. Goldstone (ed)., Revolutions: Theoretical, Comparative, and Historical Studies, 2003

• Theda Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia, & China, 1979

• Charles Tilley, Social Movements, 1768-2004, 2004

• Stephen K. Sanderson, Revolutions: A Worldwide Introduction to Political and Social Change, 2005

• Crane Brinton, The Anatomy of Revolution: Revised and Expanded, 1965

• John King Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China: A New History. Enlarged Edition, 1999.

• Earl Pritchard, Anglo-Chinese Relations During the 17th and 18th Centuries, 1929 (1970)

• Earl Pritchard, The Crucial Years of Early Anglo-Chinese Relations, 1936 (1970)

• Jonathan D. Spence, The Search for Modern China, 1990

• Jonathan D. Spence, The Gate of Heavenly Peace: The Chinese and Their Revolution, 1981

• Jonathan D. Spence, God’s Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan, 1999

• John King Fairbank, The Great Chinese Revolution 1800-1985, 1987.

• Chun-tu Hsueh (ed)., The Chinese Revolution of 1911: New Perspectives, 1986

• Lucien Bianco, The Origins of the Chinese Revolution of 1911, 1915-49 , 1967

• Jean Chesneaux, et al., China From the Opium Wars to the 1911 Revolution, 1976

• Maurice Meisner, Li Ta Chao and the Origins of Chinese Marxism, 1982

• Paul Cohen, A History in Three Keys: The Boxer Rebellion, 1999

• Andrés D. Oñate, Chairman Mao and the Chinese Communist Party, 1978

• Mark Selden, The Yenan Way in Revolutionary China, 1972

• James Pinckney Harrison, The Long March to Power, 1972

• Nick Night, Marxist Philosophy in China: From Qu Qiubai to Mao Zedong, 1923-1945, 2005

• Jonathan Spence, Mao Zedong, 1999

• Edgar Snow, Red Star Over China, 1938 (1993)

• Barbara Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-1945, 1972

• Michael Schaller, The United States and China into the 21st Century, 2002

• Stuart Schram, The Thought of Mao Tse-tung, 1990

• Arif Dirlik, et. al., Critical Perspectives on Mao Zedong’s Thought, 1997

• Macfarquhar and Schoenhals, Mao’s Last Revolution, 2006

• Joseph Esherich, The Chinese Cultural Revolution as History, 2006

CLASS ATTENDANCE AND BEHAVIOR

Class attendance is mandatory. Students will be permitted three unexcused absences, but each unexcused absence will deduct points off the final tally for determining class grades.

First unexcused absence: deduct 1 point.
Second: deduct 2 points.
Third: deduct 3 points.
Fourth, conference with teacher to determine whether or not to continue in the class. If the decision is to continue, deduct 4 points.
Fifth, automatic withdrawal from class.

Tests missed because of unexcused absences will not be made up, and the points will be deducted from the overall point tally that determines the class grade. Falling asleep in class will be treated as an unexcused absence. The class attendance system described above applies to sleeping in class.

CLASS PARTICIPATION

Class participation is highly encouraged, and will be rewarded positively. Entries on class participation are made at the conclusion of each class noted by a “+” sign if the student has participated actively (class attendance in itself is not considered a positive sign of participation). Class participation may influence the outcome of the course grade where applicable. For example, class participation may increase a student’s grade that has a borderline score between a “B+” and “A-.”