Could China have been colonized?

As it says on the tin. Could the great powers have actively divided up China and ruled the pieces as colonies, or did the nature of China itself make that impossible? Again, the question is not of whether it would be a good idea, but whether it was possible.

Doesn't matter what the circumstances are as long as it's done before 1900.
 
China would eventually assimilate any would-be colonizers, like it did the Mongols and Manchu.

If we were talking about a comparably smaller group who's main population base was very near China, then yes, however given that the OP mentioned the Great Powers, than no.

Just because China has a large population does not mean it can 'absorb' anything, it just means it has a large population.


As for the topic I'd say yes after a certain point, though you'd still have a relatively large China that's not colonized for the simple reason that China is large territory with a high population density, thus while you can colonize some of it, you can't colonize all of it.
 
If we were talking about a comparably smaller group who's main population base was very near China, then yes, however given that the OP mentioned the Great Powers, than no.

Just because China has a large population does not mean it can 'absorb' anything, it just means it has a large population.


As for the topic I'd say yes after a certain point, though you'd still have a relatively large China that's not colonized for the simple reason that China is large territory with a high population density, thus while you can colonize some of it, you can't colonize all of it.
Well there's also the fact that the Great Powers each had strong national identities and little reason to be absorbed. That is, there was no need to adopt "chinese" techniques in administration etc. because they had ones that they felt worked just as well. Combine that with obvious physical differences and you have a situation where it's more difficult for them to be assimilated.

Hmm, so perhaps various pieces would be placed under Great Power rule (probably around coastal regions) while the rest is at least nominally independent. Something like the parts the Japanese conquered. The interior here would probably collapse into warring factions for a time thanks to the trauma of outright foreign rule on the central government.
 
Maybe another rebellion similar to the Boxer's give the Great Powers with Sphere's of influence the chance to pretty much annex the territories within them? Probably involve spinning off Tibet and Mongolia as British and Russia Protectorates as well.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
As for the topic I'd say yes after a certain point, though you'd still have a relatively large China that's not colonized for the simple reason that China is large territory with a high population density, thus while you can colonize some of it, you can't colonize all of it.

The British colonization of India would seem to be evidence against this theory. Granted, India and China are worlds apart in many ways, but just because an area is big and has a large population doesn't preclude its colonization.

I just finished reading an account of the Opium War, and what stands out most to me is how tiny British forces repeatedly dstroyed Chinese armies many times their size.
 
India was far from unified like China was. Wasn't it easier for the British to take over India, one princely state against another at a time?
 

Hendryk

Banned
India was far from unified like China was. Wasn't it easier for the British to take over India, one princely state against another at a time?
And even then it was a long and protracted process. You're right, one doesn't colonize a unified country the same way as a collection of divided states that can be coopted and/or played out against each other.
 

Susano

Banned
Eh. The Great Powers had no qualms about having a conference divide up Africa along some borders drawn randomly on a map, and then have the individual colonial powers enforce their claim. They same could theoretically surely be done with CHina, if an united country or not. Without mutual distrust among the Great Powes and without Americas open door policy, that might be feasible.
 
And even then it was a long and protracted process. You're right, one doesn't colonize a unified country the same way as a collection of divided states that can be coopted and/or played out against each other.

That's how British India got started. But then along came a man called Clive and in the space of 10-15 years British suzerainty was solidified over a vast portion of India and Britain became India's master almost unquestionably. There were still wars but it was really consolidation from then on. You could equate this to the Boxer Rebellion where China is broken up into spheres of influence. If China then is more aggressive a series of rebellions against European influence could have the opposite effect - the Europeans are forced to take harsher steps to protect their spheres, and consequently start appointing their own governors and plant armies, turning their spheres of influence into fully sovereign (that is, under fully sovereign European rule, not independent) colonies. From there on the Europeans could "colonise" China in the same way as OTL Britain did India - emigration of various peoples into the coastal cities creating an Anglo-Chinese monied class in "the important bits" and fully Chinese areas further inland. It's not exactly the colonisation of the Americas in scope, but it's "colonisation".
 

terence

Banned
India was far from unified like China was. Wasn't it easier for the British to take over India, one princely state against another at a time?

China's 'unity' is a moot point. Without repressive rule the country would fragment within a couple of years. It has been like that since the days of Chin. People in Guangzhou detest Northerners and vice versa--and everyone hates the Bao and the Uighers. Remember that the British and others had virtual colonies in China in the 19th C. Shanghai had trams driven by British drivers, the gas meters were read by British meter readers, law and order was maintained by (British) Sikh police officers. The Chinese flooded into Hong Kong, Whampoa, Shanghai, Xiamen, Tsingtao--had there been credible opposition to Imperial rule, they would probably have found some allies.
 
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