How to evaluate Li Hongzhang?

For the late Qing Dynasty, Li Hongzhang was an unavoidable name. For the late Qing Dynasty, he was a pillar figure. So, how do we evaluate Li Hongzhang today? In my opinion, he can be said to be a very typical and rare enlightened feudal bureaucrat in the late Qing Dynasty. As one of the representatives of the landlord class, he first protected the interests of the landlord class, so he suppressed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and set up foreign objects. He is very aware of China's backwardness and hopes to strengthen the country by learning from the West. However, because he neglected that China's backwardness was mainly due to the political system itself, he failed to realize his dream of becoming a powerful country. In the foreign war, his compromise and improper command, although the treaty of shimonoseki signed after the war was forced, it also made him bear the charge of humiliating the country.

First, the historical environment in which Li Hongzhang lived We often say that it is best to evaluate historical figures in the historical environment at that time. It was 1860 that Li Hongzhang stepped onto the diplomatic stage of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, foreigners knocked on China's door and signed many unequal treaties. More importantly, the stubborn feudal forces are powerful and desperately defend the crumbling autocratic rule, so diplomacy has become an extension of internal affairs. In this respect, Li Hongzhang's stage is not enough, so even if he has superb skills, it is impossible to jump out of feudal autocracy.

However, Li Hongzhang is also a wise man. In his early years, he actively promoted Westernization, and made great achievements in the history of modern industrial development in China? Number one? . Only by this, his position should be higher than those stubborn children.

Second, the Treaty of Disgrace and Disgrace Li Hongzhang's "treaty of shimonoseki" and other treaties were signed, which linked him with the country's humiliation and humiliation. However, Bian Xiao believes that Li Hongzhang was actually only the executor when signing the treaty. He is neither the decision maker nor the final decision maker. The real decision-maker should be the Qing government.

Li Hongzhang's sadness is precisely because he is in the first wave of integration of China and the West. He has a lingering feudal flavor, and began to have a sense of the world and innovative ideas. When the whole country is still in a state of ignorance and backwardness, it is inevitable to be harsh on others. For Li Hongzhang, who can face the world trend directly, we still give him some fair comments.