Chiang Kai-shek And The Constitutionalism In Late Republican China

The constitutionalism in late republican China was the political reform of so-called ending one-party dictatorship and restoring power to the people by KMT. Under the control of Chiang Kai-shek. KMT convened 1946 National Assembly Constitution, instituted Constitution of the Republic of China, after the government reorganization, in the end of 1947, the constitutionalism began formally. Via 1948 National Assembly Constitution, the president and vice-president elected, and the Five-chamber Constitutional Government came into being. However, in 1949, Chiang made the constitutionalism empty and renewed the political tutelage by KMT in fact for the reasons of power combating and KMT regime's coming collapse. This paper is consisted of five chapters:Chapter one is the first stage of late republican China constitutionalism, which is the stage of constitutional gestation. In 1943-1946, from the second constitutional movement to 1946 National Assembly Constitution. For the promotion of constitutional movement about the victory of Anti-Japan War, and political competence from CPC's slogan of"United Government", and the appeal from US and the democracy desire in KMT, Chiang's attitude to constitutionalism get positive instead of being negative, carried about the long delayed constitutionalism. However, the important change of the constitutionalism urged by Chiang is based on making KMT the center and maintaining the regime of KMT. Chiang deal the political view of CPC and in-between groups with transigent attitude from Chongqing Negotiation to Political Consultative Conference. Nevertheless, when Chiang found the promotion of constitutionalism would leave the control of KMT, his attitude get tough. The Second Plenary Session of the 6th Central Committee of KMT cancelled the promise on Political Consultative Conference, Chiang refused consultative democracy and pushed"one-party constitutionalism"positively to fulfill the political interests.Chapter two is the second stage of late republican China constitutionalism, that is the stage of constitutional establishment. In 1946-1947, from 1946 National Assembly Constitution to government reorganization in 1947. The grave change of the attitude of KMT on the Second Plenary Session of the 6th Central Committee made late republican China constitutionalism into a new stage, until the breakout of civil war, Chiang tried to utilize the constitutionalism as a weapon, won without having been fought. National Assembly Constitution and the constitutionalism actually was Chiang's wishful thinking to summon CPC to surrender. Chiang tried gave CPC pressure and strike both on battlefield and on conference, but Chiang was still chill on the conference, CPC and China Democratic League refused to attend 1946 National Assembly Constitution, and KMT could only lasso some small parties and other prominent community members to adorned"restoring power to people"by KMT; furthermore, for the existed political conception, the constitution instituted on the conference still more resemble the resolution of Political Consultative Conference and that was a deviation from Chiang's will and the tenet of May 5th draft Constitution, the system of constitution of five powers was confronted with important variation, the true Western-style democracy would come into being and challenge one-party dictatorship of KMT and Chiang's personal autocracy after the system being modified. In front of the situation, Chiang was unreconciled and annoyed, he aired his grievance in various ways, which indicted Chiang's disappointment to the constitution. Now that the situation is so, Chiang decided to kick CPC off and continue the constitutionalism because of his military confidence. After 1946 National Assembly Constitution, Chiang reorganized the National Government, founded the so-called"United Government"in 1947, prepared for the coming constitutionalism.Chapter three is the third stage of constitutionalism in late republican China, which is the stage of constitutionalism promotion. In 1947-1949, from constitution put in practice in the end of 1947 to KMT withdrawing to Taiwan. The promotion of constitutionalism actually was a puzzle brought by Chiang himself. After 1948 National Assembly Constitution, Chiang found he was wrong, but there was no way turning back and had to promote the constitutionalism. The next step of the constitutionalism only would make Chang cumber with it, he had to promote the constitutionalism, at the same time tried to exterminate CPC. In 1947, KMT began"Mobilize to Suppress the Communist Rebellion", in the end of this year the constitutionalism started up formally, wartime system and political democracy were put in practice simultaneously, and this was contrary to convention. All kinds of complex and troublesome political dispute happened in succession, the situation couldn't be well managed even though the resourceful politician. If the constitutionalism before as the political tactic was reasonable, hereafter it was completely wrong to continue promoting the constitutionalism. With the deterioration of the military situation, Chiang's constitutionalism without CPC couldn't be held on. The internal conflict of KMT substituted the KMT-CPC constitutional competition, and that weakened Chiang's authority and status. Finally, Chiang was forced to drop the reins of government, he picked up his old intrigue often used in his life like a political trickster, and Chiang renewed the political tutelage, even the autarchy, the constitutionalism had been empty promises. Chiang's wishful thinking to utilize the constitutionalism to reap unfair gains gone by the board completely.Chapter four analyze the reason of the failure of the constitutionalism in late republican China. Until 1949, the constitution and the National Assembly were all been maintained, but the constitutionalism encountered serious frustration, the result of constitutionalism by KMT was abortive because Chiang renewed the political tutelage by wire-pull, even degenerated to the autarchy by Chiang himself. Analyze all kinds of factors, the frustration of the constitutionalism and Chiang's unsuccessful political intention are mainly for the reasons as follows.The first, there were too much contradictions among rule of man, rule of party and rule of law, too much contradictions between political thought and political reality, democracy logic and autarchy logic were incompatible. The second, from the point of political technique, the constitutionalism design was lack of enough technical skills. KMT had not sagacious political technique, from constitutional design to the execution, there were too much defectiveness in every links of the constitutionalism.The third, wartime political environment was unfavorable factor to the execution of the constitution, KMT faced a key moment of life or death, that was really not a good chance for the constitutionalism. Observing from the end of the constitutionalism, Chiang look on the constitutionalism as political tool, even political toy, which was wrong decision and wrong choice.The fourth, the political dispute made the constitutionalism depart from the reform, political dispute overwhelmed political reform seriously. political reform twisted by political dispute and the reform failed finally.Chapter five review Chiang's political ability, and point out the relation between Chiang's ability and the failure of the constitutionalism. Late Republican China Constitutionalism was outspread with the failure of KMT, it failed with the failure of KMT, in this course, Chiang was a keyman. Without Chiang Kai-shek, we can't analyze the constitutionalism in late republican China, and from the point of Chiang's political decision, we can understand the constitutionalism better either to its origins or to its failure. By the analyzing, this paper considers that Chiang both as a keyman and as a whole show, his political tactic and political ability is the most important factor of the constitutionalism, by this way we can also observe the failure of KMT and its most important reason was for Chang's personal factor.From the point of KMT history, from Sun Yat-sen to Chiang Kai-shek, there was subtle imbroglio between democracy and authority. Sun's constitutional design brought fundamental influence to political choice of KMT, and Chiang couldn't change Sun's design——although Chiang tried to utilized Sun's design to serve his power, in the end constitution of five powers was revised and the revise went against Chiang in principal. Chiang only could depend on the unusual system, which is wartime system to hold his autarchy.From the more broad view to analyze the constitutionalism in modern Chinese history, Strictly speaking, Late Republican China Constitutionalism happen in short time, to understand it across-the-board, we must broaden our view. From late Qing Dynasty preparatory constitutionalism to early Republican China representative politics, and to late Republican China one-party constitutionalism by KMT, from a linkage view to observe the flexuous road of China's democracy, we can see more clearly the orbit and clue of the history. In modern China, the road to democracy was full of frustrations and after all it lead to the direction of progress.