No one denies that this time was filled with changes and turmoil. From a political standpoint, stability was a forgotten concept as people just tried to stay alive. Even though Chiang Kai-shek managed to maintain control through most of the Republican era, even he was forced to abdicate and remove himself from the scene at one point. As much as changing governments and confusion reigned during this time, some themes seemed to change only slightly. In the end, the editors hope that this volume will inspire more research on the Republican era in Chinese history, especially since The China Quarterly hasn't received many submissions in the past.
Much work remains to be done, particularly at the local scale and on rural areas.