What do you think?
Rate this book
The Kuomintang Left in the National Revolution, 1924-1931: The Leftist Alternative in Republican China
This first study in English of the Chinese Kuomintang Left follows the movement's progress from its origins as an amorphous grouping to its development, after the 1927 Communist purge, into a full-blown opposition force.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 1991
5 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 9, 2026
Fascinating book about a relatively unknown topic within Post-Qing China. This book charts the intellectual history of the KMT Left within the mainframe of the KMT and their relationship with the Nanking Government headed by Chiang Kai-shek.
What starts as a credible leftist alternative for those in China who did not want to embrace the 'Communist' label ended in disaster due to the circumstances of the post-revolutionary winds of China and the crafty pragmatism of the KMT's left ideological leader Wang Jingwei.
The author goes out of his way to show that during 1928, the KMT left had a credible ideology that could counter the KMT centre (represented by Chiang Kai-shek) and the KMT Right (represented by the Western Hill Group), but the political acumen of its leaders could not hold onto power.
The KMT left was doomed to fail from the start, and officially died in 1931 when Wang Jingwei, out of his own deadly pragmatism, dismantled any current of leftist thought that remained within KMT after the disastrous alliance with the regional militarists collapsed and Mr Jingwei opted for national unity over ideology and joined forces with Chiang Kai-shek (for better or worse).
All in all, a very well-researched and sourced book with a unique focus.
What starts as a credible leftist alternative for those in China who did not want to embrace the 'Communist' label ended in disaster due to the circumstances of the post-revolutionary winds of China and the crafty pragmatism of the KMT's left ideological leader Wang Jingwei.
The author goes out of his way to show that during 1928, the KMT left had a credible ideology that could counter the KMT centre (represented by Chiang Kai-shek) and the KMT Right (represented by the Western Hill Group), but the political acumen of its leaders could not hold onto power.
The KMT left was doomed to fail from the start, and officially died in 1931 when Wang Jingwei, out of his own deadly pragmatism, dismantled any current of leftist thought that remained within KMT after the disastrous alliance with the regional militarists collapsed and Mr Jingwei opted for national unity over ideology and joined forces with Chiang Kai-shek (for better or worse).
All in all, a very well-researched and sourced book with a unique focus.
Displaying 1 of 1 review