In reconsidering the Revolution of 1911, we can start by looking both forward and back from the year 1911. Looking forward from 1911, we see the beginning of the long series of revolutions that have marked the history of twentieth-century China. Looking back we see the remarkably successful rule of the Qing dynasty: long peace, relative prosperity, and expanded borders of China. Despite the failures of the 19th century, the New Policy reforms were quite successful at least until 1910. This paper addresses the failure of the Qing in its final year, and the reason for the fatal mistakes of the Regent Zaifeng. In doing so, it addresses the relationship between gradual reform and abrupt revolutionary transformation, and the lessons to be drawn from a comparative consideration of instances of unanticipated revolutionary events.