U569  Modern Inner Mongolia
Lecture, Tuesday, Week 7

 

  1. Nationalism:  Theories and application in Inner Mongolia
    1. Inner Mongolia as a special case:  theories focus on IM's peculiarities
      1. Rational-Response theory:  Chinese/gov't awful, so Mongols resist
        1. Most popular theory among Mongols
        2. But we have to define what is the standard for "awful"
      2. Nomad/sedentary theory:  farmers take nomadic pastoralist land
        1. Explains some facts, but by no means all
      3. Ethno-legal theory:  IM subject to Manchus, so free when Manchus fall
        1. Widely repeated in Inner Mongolia
        2. Khalkha declares independence Nov. 1911, Manchus fall Feb. 1912
        3. Manchu rule was not conditional on oath or policy
        4. Illustrates policy of East (inner ) Mongolian nobility
      4. All assume Inner Mongolia is not like other areas of nationalist issues
    2. Modernization Theory:  Nationalism is pre-modern survival
      1. Nationalism:  non-rational commitment, declines with modernization
      2. Problem:  definitely does not track the facts
    3. Nationalism as Modern (Marxism, Hobsbawm, Gellner, Anderson)
      1. Nationalism>response to the "great transition":  pre-modern to modern
      2. Premodern society ("Ruritania")
        1. Non-national empires, cosmopolitan nobles/church, one literary lang.
        2. Parochial peasantry, local identities, innumerable dialects
      3. Great transition:  urbanization, education, literacy, secularization, middle class
      4. Nationalism's role in modern society
        1. "Mobilized" (displaced) peasants seek association, status, advance
        2. Nationalism prevents assimilation as depressed underclass
        3. Nations not revived, but "invented" in modernization
    4. Horowitz and Extinction Anxiety Theory
      1. Behavior and images in ethnic conflict center on:  advanced vs. backwards
        1. Stereotypes consensual and not related to power dichotomy
      2. Backward:  honest, slow, shy, polite, lazy, religious, disunified, verbal
        1. Resource rich; military (esp. army), land-holding
      3. Advanced:  clever, aggressive, rude, materialist, competitive, mathematical
        1. Resource poor > mobile; commerce, science, civil service
      4. As colony, backward has role, but not in modern society
      5. Independence threatens permanent inferiority for backward groups
        1. Ultimate backward group fear is extinction ("like Indians")
  2. New Policies, 1911 Revolution and the responses in Inner Mongolia
    1. Princes reject it, seek to preserve Qing order >> Secession
      1. Anti-Chinese riots in Da Khüriye ("Urga"); riot greeted Sando (1905)
        1. Lamas usually leaders
      2. Nobility, with Jebdzundamba Khutugtu move for independence
        1. 1900 (Boxers) appeals to Russia for intervention
        2. Alternate center to Beijing, annual and triennial meetings
        3. Nov., 1911, declares independence, Jkh as Bogd Khaan
        4. Jan., 1912 joined by Hulun Buir
      3. 1912-1913:  Jkh calls on Inner Mongolian princes to join
        1. Majority of nobility, yamens support union (SE IM doesn't)
        2. Khalkha launches war to occupy IM, successful
      4. Diplomacy of the "Mongolian Questions"
        1. China's territory guaranteed (Open Door, treaty system)
        2. Russia receives privileges, but can't annex
        3. Kiakhta treaty system (Inner Mongolia not allowed), 1915
    2. Where princes coopted, plebeian opposition >> duguilangs
    3. Accept New Policies, emulate them locally
      1. Concentrated in SE Inner Mongolia (Josotu, Kheshigten, Left Khorchin)
        1. Kharachin Right's Prince Güngsangnorbu
        2. Banner income:  mines, land leases, investments
        3. Banner sponsors schools (boys & girls), mines, policies, study abroad
        4. Similar ideas spread in Chakhar, Daur, and Höhhot Tümeds
      2. East Mongolian "enlightenment"
        1. Mongolia backward compared to China
        2. Fervent belief in science and education (new schools movement)
        3. Curriculum:  Mongolian and Chinese, math, science
        4. Rejection of Buddhism (partial or complete)
        5. Racial survival more important than cultural continuity
      3. Admiration of Injannashi
      4. They reject Khalkha independence due to Buddhist influence
    4. Go further:  strengthen powers and social insulation of the state
      1. Agenda of revolution