War, Political Entrepreneurs, and National Sovereignty in China

• In Event: Chinese Politics Mini-Conference: Consolidating State Power

Abstract

This paper investigates why and how non-western states embraced and integrated the notion of national sovereignty, with a particular focus on the shift from empire to nation-state. We propose that political entrepreneurs played a crucial role in promoting the concept of national sovereignty. To test this theory, we analyze novel datasets from newspapers, focusing on China's transition from the Qing Empire to the Republic. Our findings reveal that neither the formal change in government nor the western invasion resulted in a change in the national perception of sovereignty. However, political elites played a vital part in facilitating the adoption and internalization of the Westphalian system. This study emphasizes the critical significance of ideational transformation in state formation and the role of political entrepreneurs. It adds to a deeper comprehension of state-building and nationalism.

Authors

• Peng Peng, Washington University in St Louis

• Haohan Chen, The University of Hong Kong

• Yingtian He, Tsinghua University