The Lack Of Authority: The Politicization Of The Republic Of China Foreign Affairs (1915-1922)

It was a complicated process about the politicization of foreign affairs in early Republic of China. The decay and devolution of political authority of Peking Government's is the fundamental reason for this politicization in its foreign affairs. There are two aspects in the decay of Peking Government's authority: one is the devolution and disintegration of the political power, which resulted in the crisis of authority; another are new forms of public power was being created in the public sphere, as a result of which, group politics became a great potential threat to Peking government. With the decay of political authority in the 1910s, lots of urban elites began to be involved in the political protests against Peking Government especially in the time of government diplomacy confronted failures. On the other hand, the failure of government diplomacy usually became a turning point for the politicization of foreign affairs. As a matter of fact, the May Fourth Movement was a essential point in the politicized process of foreign affairs, while the May Fourth student circle was the main force which promoted the politicization. In the 1910s, the politicization, in some degree,existed among different political groups, while a large social groupt legal of illegal was still not involved in. Under the context, Peking Government held its authority to people. Patriotic Nationalism for the fist time drew students into a great mass coalition with merchants, professionals and workers protesting against foreign intrusions and governmental failures to protect China during the period of the May Fourth Movement. Furthermore, the cross-classes coalition provided a practical example for national diplomacy in the early 1920s. Of course, those social groups were the main force which drove foreign affairs go forward the politicization. Theories about national diplomacy and nation independent were used by social groups to participate gomernmental foreign affairs, which urged the era of civilian politics. During the process, authority of Peking Government decayed continually.The Politicization of governmental foreign affairs was the reflection of the Chinese awakening as a modern nation. In the 1910s, social darwinism defined the essence of nationalism. During this period, Chinese people regard it important mostly that foreign intrusions and foreign affairs were more important than domestic conflicts. The failure about Shantung Question in Paris Conference made Chinese doubt the validity of social darwinism-nationalism. Just at this time, Leninism came to China and became popular to many intellectualls such as Li Dazhao , Chen Duxiu and so on. After that, the Leninism-nationalism challenged the Social Darwinism-nationalism and replaced the latter. In a word, the revolutionary change from Social Darwinism nationalism to Leninism-nationalism was the thoughts force that promoted the politicization of foreign affairs in early Republican era. Finally, CCP came together with Kuomintang to struggle for the political leadership of nation-building with Peking Government.