民国时期，青海地区长期处于马步芳家族的统治。马步芳家族能在青海长时间的统治与该家族的统治手段以及青海地区的社会经济、地缘政治、民族和宗教等因素密不可分。与中国同时期其他地方的军阀相比，马步芳家族在青海的统治具有借民族宗教为幌子、向上佯附中央，对下专制独裁、任人唯亲、强取豪夺等特点。

During the period of the Republic of China, Qinghai, as a region, was under the rule of Ma Bufang and his family military bloc for a long time, which is closely related to the local economy, geopolitics, ethnicity and religion. Comparing with other warlords, Ma’s rule is characterized by admitting the central country, relative independent，autocratic warlord, unification of the church, nepotism, high economic plunder, rap and rend.