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Did Empress Cixi Help Or Hinder China?

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Recommended: Influence of Empress Cixi on China

Did Empress Cixi help or hinder China? Although not the first ruling woman in China’s history, Empress Cixi was the longest-ruling woman, considered ‘ahead of her time’. Conflicting truths about her reign are one of the main reasons there is such disagreement as to whether she should be praised or criticised for what she achieved for China.

How did Empress Cixi improve China's progress? Empress Cixi or The Current Divine Mother Empress Dowager Ci-Xi Duan-You Kang-Yi Zhao-Yu Zhuang-Cheng Shou-Gong Qin-Xian Chong-Xi of the Great Qing Empire is usually credited with initiating important modernisation projects that altered China's infrastructure, educational system, and economy. One of her most illustrious accomplishments was opening China's …show more content…

She supported the building of new warships because she recognised that China needed a cutting-edge navy to protect itself from outside aggression. Cixi was in charge of updating the navy and creating a force that could protect China's coastline, claims historian Jung Chang. In the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895, the modern fleet was crucial in defending China's …show more content…

Even though Empress Cixi's reign brought about a lot of good advances, it was also characterized by civil unrest, political repression, and corruption. Her government was charged with stealing public monies and utilizing them for personal gain, fostering a corrupt culture that lingered long after she passed away.

The authoritarian administration of Empress Cixi also impeded political progress and aided in China's eventual struggles with democracy. She opposed political reforms and was wary of any initiatives that would undermine her rule. "Cixi's aversion to political change delayed China's transformation to a modern democratic society and contributed to its later challenges with governance," writes historian Jonathan Spence. Her dictatorial administration stifled the growth of civil society and individual rights by fostering a climate of fear and repression.

Empress Cixi's support of the Boxers during the Boxer Rebellion was a crucial factor contributing to her rule's unfavourable effects. While her ultimate choice to change sides ended the

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