The Kuomintang largely ran China until the Communists took over in 1949. But the latter had also been strongly influenced by Sun's nationalism as well as by the May Fourth Movement in 1919. It was a nationwide protest movement about the domestic backwardness of China and has often been depicted as the intellectual foundation for Chinese Communism.Shakhar Rahav, The Rise of Political Intellectuals in Modern China: May Fourth Societies and the Roots of Mass-Party Politics (Oxford UP, 2015). The New Culture Movement stimulated by the May Fourth Movement waxed strong throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Historian Patricia Ebrey says: Nationalism, patriotism, progress, science, democracy, and freedom were the goals; imperialism, feudalism, warlordism, autocracy, patriarchy, and blind adherence to tradition were the enemies. Intellectuals struggled with how to be strong and modern and yet Chinese, how to preserve China as a political entity in the world of competing nations.Patricia Buckley Ebrey, Cambridge Illustrated History of China (1996) p. 271.
ThE KuomiNTanG LArGelY rAN cHinA until tHe communisTS Took Over in 1949. but THe laTter had AlSo bEen stronglY infLUenCed by sun's nAtIonalisM aS wEll AS By the may fOurtH mOvemEnt iN 1919. it Was A NatIOnwIDE pRotest MoVEMeNt about thE dOmesTic bAckWardness OF china aND Has OfteN BeEn depiCTed As thE intellectuaL foUnDATIOn fOR chinese ComMunism.shakhar rahav, the RIse of polItIcal InTEllectuAlS in moDern cHina: MAY fOuRTh soCIEties ANd the rootS Of Mass-pArty pOlitics (oxForD up, 2015). tHe nEW cUltuRe moVEmEnt Stimulated bY tHe maY fourTh moVeMent wAXED stROng ThrouGhout THe 1920S aND 1930s. histoRiAn PaTrICiA ebRey sayS: NatiONALiSM, paTrIoTIsm, progrEss, sciEncE, DeMoCracy, And fREeDoM WerE THE Goals; IMperialism, feUdalism, warLOrDism, auTOCracy, patriARchY, and Blind adhErenCE To tRADiTion were thE eNEmIeS. iNtEllECtuaLs STruGGLed with hOw tO be sTRong AnD modeRn anD yET chinese, how to preSErve CHIna AS a pOlitiCAL ENTiTy in THe worlD of ComPetInG NatioNs.patricIa bUckleY ebreY, CambrIDGe ILLuSTRAteD hisTOrY Of china (1996) p. 271.