Review of the article

Article Critique: Public Finance Crisis and Rise in Warlordism Student’s Name Course Name and Number Submission Date Article Critique: Public Finance Crisis and Rise in Warlordism The financial problem and the rise of warlordism in China in the 20th century are the main topics the article under this review addresses. It focuses on providing the example of Fengtian provinces as a case study of presenting the ideas about the topic. In this analysis and review of the article, the paper aims to provide a summary of the article and a comprehensive analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the article in an attempt to provide a critical review. Despite delving into a critical review of important historical topics and relating them with the sociopolitical complexities experienced at the time by China, it is apparent that the article raises key issues that require more research and investigation. This analysis provides a platform that moves the conversation in the article past just a basic story by examining important issues such as provincial dynamics of politics and social contexts of life. Even with the completion of a thorough analysis of the article, room is left for more research to be done and improvement of the argument and refutations provided in the analysis. By analyzing the importance of these vital aspects of China’s history, the study creates relevance of these dynamics to the modern society hence offering a platform for more investigation.[Van de Ven, Hans J. "Public finance and the rise of warlordism." Modern Asian Studies 30, no. 4 (1996): 829-868.] Summary of the Article In the article, the author Van de Ven provides a critical examination of the public finance crisis and its role in the emergency of warlordism in China, concerning Fengtian Province as the case study. In the process, the article highlights how these two aspects of the province created a financial crisis that contributed to the war in 20th-century China. In other words, the author emphasizes the fiscal crises that China experienced in the 20th century due to the rapid growth of public finance that contributed to the increase of warlordism in the country. As a result of this crisis, the federal government of China was forced to allow warlords since it lacked the necessary resources that could be used to build a national army and even finance the activities of a large-scale army of the state. The local and federal governments in 20th century China experienced struggles with fiscal resources of the country because of the decentralized fiscal system, which exacerbated the situation. As a result of the reforms in the public finance and fiscal system of China, the country started experiencing political unrest at a rapid rate that eventually gave rise to warlordism.[Ibid] [Van de Ven 3] Furthermore, China started to experience heightened budgetary pressure and more strain on her financial resources which gave rise to people resisting tax and the emergence of more political movements in resistance to high taxes by the local and federal governments. A highlight in the Fengtian province case study, it is apparent that the country experienced a rise in political unrest hence warlordism as the military commanders and landowners that were leading the uprisin...