People's History of Ideas Podcast

Gregory Voitinsky, a Comintern organizer, arrives in China in 1920 and helps found the Communist Party. The podcast explores the influence of the Russian Revolution on China and the establishment of the Communist International. It also discusses Lenin's interpretation of Marx's 'Capital', commodity fetishism, and the importance of breaking free from capitalist thinking.

Exploring the founding and purpose of the Communist International, the betrayal of principles by the Second International, Lenin's analysis of the Labour aristocracy, expectations of the Russian Revolution, and the strategic shift and expansion of international communist strategy.

Exploring Mao's intellectual development towards individualism, his belief in physical discipline for China's youth, his transition to collectivist anarchism, the influence of Li Dajao and the May 4 movement on his ideology, and the clash with Li during the new culture movement.

In this episode we explore the move from liberalism toward Marxism among progressive intellectuals in the 1915-1919 period, and how those ideas began to be brought to the working class in China’s cities. This includes the New Culture Movement, the May 4th Movement, and the June 5th Movement.Further reading:Maurice Meisner, Li Ta-Chao and the Origins of Chinese MarxismArif Dirlik, The Origins of Chinese Communism Some names from this episode:Yuan Shikai, leader of the Beiyang Army and dictator after the fall of the QingSun Yat-sen/Sun Zhongshan, leader of the GuomindangChen Duxiu, editor of New Youth and leading New Culture intellectualLu Xun, progressive writer who wrote “A Madman’s Diary” for New YouthLi Dazhao, collaborator with Chen Duxiu and leading proponent of learning from the Russian RevolutionSupport the show

In this episode we look at Mao Zedong’s childhood, family background, and see what he was thinking in 1912. Further reading:Edgar Snow, Red Star Over ChinaStuart Schram, ed., Mao’s Road to Power, vol. 1: The Pre-Marxist Period, 1912-1920Lee Feigon, Mao: A ReinterpretationJonathan Spence, Mao Zedong: A Life Some names from this episode:Ba Jin, anarchist novelist who wrote The FamilyShang Yang, founder of the Legalist schoolSima Qian, author of Records of the Grand Historian Support the show

The overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, followed by the first years of the Republic of China. Further reading on the 1911 Revolution:Joseph Esherick and C.X. George Wei, editors, China: How the Empire FellSome names from this episode:Mao Zedong, leader of the Chinese Revolution and revolutionary communist par excellenceSun Zhongshan/Sun Yat-sen, leader of the Revolutionary AllianceHuang Xing, Vice-President of the Revolutionary Alliance and military leader of the April 1911 uprising in GuangzhouPuyi, child emperor who abdicated his throne at age fivePrince Chun, regent for PuyiYuan Shikai, leader of Beiyang ArmyEmpress Dowager Cixi, power behind the throne who died in 1908Kang Youwei, Confucian advocate of liberal modernization and Qing loyalistGuangxu Emperor, Emperor of China during the Hundred Days Reform of 1898Song Jiaoren, leading Guomindang organizer, assassinated in 1913Zeng Guofan, leader of Qing forces that defeated the Taiping rebelsLi Hongzhang, high level Chinese statesman and advocate of self-strengthening Support the show

In this episode, we explore some of the major voices of revolution from the decade preceding the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1912: Zou Rong, Qiu Jin and Sun Yat-sen [Sun Zhongshan].Some names from this episode:Kang Youwei, Confucian advocate of liberal modernization and focus of episode 8Guangxu Emperor, Emperor of China who was put under house arrest by Cixi after attempting to assert his power during the Hundred Days Reform (episode 8)Empress Dowager Cixi, ruler of China during this periodLiang Qichao, disciple of Kang YouweiZou Rong, author of The Revolutionary ArmySubao newspaper, newspaper run by anti-Qing revolutionaries out of the Shanghai International SettlementQiu Jin, China’s first feminist and anti-Qing revolutionarySima Qian, Han dynasty historianMao Zedong, leader of the Chinese Revolution and revolutionary communist par excellenceSun Zhongshan/Sun Yat-sen, leader of the Revolutionary AllianceLi Hongzhang, high level Chinese statesman and advocate of self-strengthening (episode 5)Support the show

In the face of foreign aggression and natural disaster, masses of Chinese people turn to traditional folk religion and martial arts to attempt to throw out the imperialists.A couple sources for reading more, and which I used in preparing this episode:Joseph Esherick, The Origins of the Boxer UprisingPaul Cohen, History in Three Keys: The Boxers as Event, Experience, and MythSome names from this episode:Wang Lun, leader of White Lotus rebellion in the 18th centuryEmpress Dowager Cixi, ruler of China during this periodKang Youwei, Confucian advocate of liberal modernization and focus of last episodeEmperor Guangxu, Emperor of China who was put under house arrest by Cixi after attempting to assert his power during the Hundred Days Reform (last episode)Alphonse Favier, Roman Catholic bishop in Beijing who engaged in looting when the Eight-Nation Army occupied Beijing and crushed the BoxersSupport the show

In the wake of the Sino-Japanese War, Kang Youwei works with the Guangxu Emperor to try to replicate Japan's Meiji reforms, before being crushed by Cixi and other Manchu conservatives.At the beginning of the episode, I talk some about how westerners have written about Chinese history. A good book that goes really deep into this is Paul Cohen's Discovering History in China. If you're into that topic, you may also want to read Fabio Lanza's End of Concern: Maoist China, Activism, and Asian Studies.Some names from this episode:Kang Youwei, Confucian advocate of liberal modernization and Qing loyalistEmperor Guangxu, Emperor of China during this episode, tried to assert his power during Hundred Days ReformEmpress Dowager Cixi, the real power behind the throneIto Hirobumi, senior Japanese statesman whose met with Guangxu while Cixi 'sat behind the curtain'Yuan Shikai, leader of Chinese armyRong Lu, conservative Manchu governor of metropolitan region and Cixi loyalistKang Guangren, Kang Youwei's younger brotherOkuma Shigenobu, Japanese prime minister who offered Kang Youwei aidMao Zedong, leader of the Chinese RevolutionSupport the show

This podcast episode covers the Sino-French and Sino-Japanese Wars in Vietnam and Korea. It explores the tributary system in East Asia, the conflict between China and France in Vietnam, and the rise of Japan and its impact on Korea.