This lecture examines the reasons behind the failure of the Taiping Rebellion, shedding light on three key factors. First, it examines the administrative failure of the Taiping state, emphasizing the lack of a regularized relationship between the state and rural areas, leading to an inability to establish a bureaucracy and secure an economic base. Second, it explores the strategic failure of the Taipings, who were surrounded by the countryside in the Yangtze Valley but could not achieve control over it, resulting in a precarious position that made them vulnerable to being choked off. Lastly, it discusses the limited popular support for the Taipings, as the old order in the countryside remained strong and was supported by regional armies like the Hunan and Huai armies, ultimately putting down revolutionary attempts.
