Does Sun Yat-sen deserve the title of ‘father of the nation’?

Portrait of Sun Yat-sen (1921) by Li Tiefu Oil on Canvas

Sun Yat-Sen (1866-1925), the first president of the Republic of China, left a deep political and intellectual legacy, so much so that he is still claimed as a Founding Father of modern China. In 1940, Sun Yat-sen was decreed to be Guofu, or ‘The Father of the Nation’ in reflection of his pivotal role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the subsequent establishment of the Republic of China in 1912. Sun occupies a unique historical position, as the ideologically opposed Chiang Kai-Shek (1887-1975) and Mao Zedong (1893-1976) claimed his legacy of revolutionary ideas. This essay will discuss how these two significant figures in China’s recent past applied Sun’s founding ideology of the ‘Three Principles of the People’ to their own political interpretations of China’s future. It becomes evident that Sun Yat-sen’s vision and principles continued to shape Chinese politics and society throughout the twentieth century, which cemented his title of ‘Father of the Nation’.

The claim that Sun Yat-sen deserves the title ‘Father of the Nation’ must first be argued in his role in the establishment of the Republic of China. David Strand commented that Sun was able to strike a chord nationwide with a simple tune of ‘patriotism, sacrifice and progress’. Sun’s passion for progress became a driving force behind his challenge to imperial rule and the downfall of the Qing dynasty, believing that only ‘in revolution’ is the ‘only means we have to redress our wrongs’. Sun’s political ideas are outlined within the ‘Three Principles of the People’; nationalism, democracy, and socialism. Allen Damon commented that these essentially translated into three goals; the overthrow of the Manchus, the establishment of a republic, and an economy based on socialist ideals. In the 1911 revolution, by uniting various factions under the banner of nationalism, Sun successfully led a rebellion that resulted in the abdication of the last Qing emperor and his election as provisional president of the Republic of China. It can be argued that this was Sun’s greatest lifetime achievement as he played an indispensable role in this event, catalysing the revolutionary movement through the creation of a united front as well as financing propaganda and small armed revolts. Yet one must address that a mere two years later, Sun was exiled and spent his final years fighting for the same goals he thought he had once achieved. To this extent, Sun’s legacy as the ‘Father of the Nation’ can be expressed through his commitment to revolutionary reform, which despite being unable to fulfil in his lifetime, still had a remarkable impact on the future of China.

His premature death further contributed to this legacy as his revolutionary struggle was left incomplete, which resulted in a battle between the Guomindang and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to use Sun’s reputation to legitimise their own struggles. Marie-Claire Bergère argued that both regimes used Sun as a symbol of the revolutionary movement – they followed the doctrine of the Three Principles, especially themes of exclusive leadership and a nationalist and socialist line of thought. These regimes also began to mythologise that Sun had single-handedly inspired the revolutionary movement, ignited the 1911 revolution, brought down the imperial regime and founded the Republic. Kuomintang ‘Generalissimo’ Chiang Kai-Shek was strongly influenced by the legacy of Sun and commented that ‘the only road open to the Chinese people is that marked out by Sun Yat-Sen’s three principles’; The revolutionary ideology of the Kuomintang was exclusively summed up by that of the Three Principles. The principles can be seen in Chiang’s policies in the 1920s and 1930s, such as the Principle of Nationalism in the Northern Expedition and its purpose to reunify China. The creation of the New Life Movement in 1934 also reiterated themes in the Principle of the People’s Livelihood, which presents the profound impact Sun had on Chiang’s vision for China. Thus, after his death, Sun became the icon of the Nationalist Revolution, which only served to further his legacy and reputation as the ‘Father of the Nation’.

In a similar vein, Sun Yat-sen also paved the way for policies seen within the Chinese Communist Party. In 1949, Mao Zedong called for a ‘China of the revolutionary Three People’s Principles of Sun Yat-sen’. Whilst they coincided with the Party’s program only in certain tenets, it is clear to see the influence of Sun’s teachings. Robert E Bedeski argued that Mao’s concept of the state drew heavily from the ideas of Sun Yat-sen, whom Mao described in 1956 as a ‘revolutionary forerunner’, as both were nationalists who believed only a strong Chinese nation-state could survive and modernize. Both also saw Chinese nationalism as a transitional phenomenon to a greater harmony, rather than a class struggle. The main contrast is within the Principle of Democracy as Mao outlined that his state would be a ‘people’s democratic dictatorship’, which marked a departure from Sun’s democratic nationalism. Despite this, the impact of Sun’s teachings is clear within sources from Mao and thus shaped the official policies of the CCP, many of which are still around today.

In conclusion, the question of whether Sun Yat-sen deserves the title of ‘Father of the Nation’ requires a nuanced analysis of his influence on subsequent leaders such as Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong. Sun’s revolutionary achievements in the establishment of the Republic of China and his role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty should not be understated, as these events irrefutably shaped the course of modern Chinese history. Chiang’s political career was undoubtedly shaped by Sun’s teachings, especially the influence of the Three Principles. Whilst Sun’s influence on Mao is more limited, there are clear consistencies within policies, especially those based on the Principle of Nationalism. Thus, the title of Guofu appears fitting, as Sun’s vision for a modern China was adopted by significant Chinese figures within the twentieth century, with his ideas and principles having left a lasting impact on Chinese politics and society.