Why did the self strengthening movement not work?

There are a number of reasons why the self-strengthening movement did not work.

* Lack of unity: The self-strengthening movement was not a unified movement, but rather a collection of disparate efforts by different groups of officials and intellectuals. This lack of unity made it difficult to develop and implement a cohesive strategy for strengthening China.

* Resistance from within: The self-strengthening movement faced resistance from within the Chinese government and society. Many officials and intellectuals were opposed to the movement's reforms, which they saw as a threat to traditional Chinese values and institutions.

* Foreign opposition: The self-strengthening movement also faced opposition from foreign powers, who were concerned that a stronger China would threaten their interests in the region.

* Too little, too late: By the time the self-strengthening movement began, it was already too late to save China from the forces of Western imperialism. The country was already weak and divided, and its military and economy were far behind those of the Western powers.

Ultimately, the self-strengthening movement failed because it was unable to overcome these challenges.