Alternatives to post-Qing China?

[Iserlohn]

I've always wondered what the various realistic alternatives to the whole Yuan Shikai -> warlordism -> Chinese Civil War route which China took after the fall of the Qing. Now what sort of entities could replace the weak Manchurian dynasty? A Confucian quasi-theocracy under the Holy Duke of Yen? A new, genuine Han dynasty? What do you guys think is possible with a POD of 1900 at the earliest?

 

[Karelian]

My current TL deals with this subject in detail, ending up with a new dynasty that acts as a popular figurehead to a new political entity that's based on the former power of the Southern Viceroys.

 

[MrP]

How about a new dynasty founded by former reformist leader Kang Youwei?

 

[mlp]

For mine, expect Yeung Ku-wan to become president. I will not guarantee whether he will be a real leader or a mere puppet, however.

 

[Iron Chancellor]

Song Jiaoren not being assassinated by Yuan Shikai would easily solve for all of that.

I was writing a timeline about him, but I got writer's block and never published it.

Meanwhile, my current China timeline (all my timelines are East Asia/more specifically China) is about an alternate Marshall Mission. The leader is Zhou Enlai because I think Zhou was cool.

 

[LeX]

A longer-lived Yuan Shikai would make for a relatively strong military dictatorship. But it would probably be unstable and aggressive.