Communications Clique
The Communications Clique (
interest group of politicians, bureaucrats, technocrats, businessmen, engineers, and labour unionists in China's Beiyang government (1912–1928). It is also known as the Cantonese Clique because many of its leaders hailed from Guangdong. They were named after the Ministry of Posts and Communications which was responsible for railways, postal delivery, shipping, and telephones as well as the Bank of Communications
. This ministry earned five times more revenue for the government than all the other ministries combined.
The clique was founded by Tang Shaoyi but it was led by Liang Shiyi throughout most of its existence. They were instrumental in the rise of Yuan Shikai in the late Qing and early republican period. Because they were Yuan's biggest supporters of his attempt to restore the monarchy, their leaders were forced to flee the country when President Li Yuanhong ordered their arrest.
In their absence, the New Communications Clique (1916-1919) was formed by
1919 Paris Peace Conference caused the May Fourth Movement
which led to his downfall and the collapse of this rival "new" clique.
Liang became
H.H. Kung
.
The clique supported training programs and better working conditions for its rail workers. They even supported their strikes against local
Communists
to defect their workers but it succeeded too well and the Communists began agitating against Wu. He responded violently leading to 35 deaths and many injuries which only served to advertise the little-known and nascent Communist Party.
References
- ISBN 9780804709453.
- Nathan, Andrew (1998). Peking Politics 1918-1923: Factionalism and the Failure of Constitutionalism. Center for Chinese Studies. p. 320. ISBN 9780892641314.
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