Sun Yat-sen as a Modernist Nationalist and His Political Legacy

Abstract

The year 2025 signifies the centenary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s demise, the leader of the Chinese democratic movement. Sun is a pioneer among the first group of modernist nationalist leaders in the oppressed regions of the 20th century. Sun first sought to dismantle the Qing Dynasty of Manchu descent, which had been partially colonized by Western powers, and to construct a modern societal framework with a nation-state for the Han ethnicity, alongside an industrialized economic system capable of ensuring prosperity for its populace. Nevertheless, the disregard for the mass line of the nationalist organization he directed and the frailty of the social forces capable of executing the revolution compelled him to envision a Republic across the Empire’s boundaries. The insights he gained from the project’s failure and the impact of the Bolshevik Revolution prompted Sun to implement an organizational framework that prioritized connections with the populace, a political doctrine that promoted socialized Chinese nationalism over racial Han nationalism, and a revolutionary strategy that unified all societal classes in pursuit of a democratic revolution. Consequently, Sun bequeathed a substantial legacy as the forerunner of the political disposition of subsequent Chinese leaders, who acknowledged China’s historical context and preserved the connection between nationalism and socialism. On the centenary of his demise, Sun Yat-sen is more than a mere memory for China. His political legacy continues to hold significance.