The thinking behind the selfstrengthening movement was "to learn from the barbarians to control the barbarians." Therefore, institutes were established to study maritime policy, telegraphy and naval warfare. But the ships and artillery were surface illusions.
自強運動的想法是「師夷長技以制夷」，於是配合學習西方船堅砲利的技術，成立了船政學堂、電報學堂、水師學堂等。