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The Roots of Sun Yat Sen's Political Thought Jonathan Hwang Mentor: Jeffrey Wasserstrom Sun Yat Sen is considered to be the father of China. Although he was highly esteemed by both the Communists and the Nationalists, his political legacy was short and ineffective. Mired by a disunified republic and unable to establish his political ideals, Sun’s presidency in the Republic of China lasted only a few months. His three principles of Democracy, Livelihood, and Nationalism still resonate in contemporary political thought of modern China. An understanding of the roots of Sun Yat Sen’s political thought is necessary for a greater assessment of Chinese political thought, as his ideals were pertinent to the establishment of a post-monarchial China. Sun was heavily influenced by Enlightenment authors such as Rousseau in the development of his thoughts on democracy. He also ascribed to many of the ideals of Bolshevism. Sun Yat Sen was fundamentally a nationalist and centered much of his political thought on the unity of the Chinese people. His Christian faith was also an influence on his political thought, as he was heavily influenced by foreign missionaries during his youth. A look into the life and theories of Sun Yat Sen is essential for an understanding of China, in its past and present.