The Research On Reformation

As a significant journal in the late period of May 4^th New Culture Movement, Reformation has introduced various new western thoughts, examined a variety of social issues, and played an important role in promoting the spread of socialist ideas in China by publishing plentiful articles on socialism.However, the academic research on Reformation is far from adequate. For most of the research work is nothing more than relevant research; no objective comments are made on its historic significance, instead it has been reduced to a major position to propagate various small bourgeois socialist thoughts. Little has been done to make quite a comprehensive analysis of the specific contents of its published articles and their tremendous influences on ideological propagation. This is by no means consistent with its considerable importance in May 4^th New Culture Movement.Considering this, an introduction is conducted of this journal in the hope of analyzing its contributions to the late period of May 4^th New Culture Movement in terms of ideology and culture. In this way, a new perspective is adopted to broaden the research on the history of May 4^th New Culture.A general survey is first conducted of the journal Reformation including its ultimate aim, basic information, writers, readers and its influences. Then, its contributions to introducing western learning such as western philosophy, literary schools, artistic theories, natural sicences, psychology, etc are explored and introduced respectively. It introduces and spreads western thoughts to follow the global tide. There are many articles appeared in the journal which for the first time introduced some western thoughts. Moreover, Western learning is an important part of the whole journal.In this dissertation, more emphasis is placed upon elaborating the introduction of socialist ideas and debate on socialism. A detailed account of diversified socialist doctrines is provided by reformation as a medium. This journal was involved in almost all schools of western socialism, actively introduced them, and became the major position of the party in support of "debate on socialism". Thus, it helped the wide dissemination of socialism as well as its reception in China.In addition to those mentioned above, the journal expounded all sorts of social issues such as education, women's mancipation, labor and management, and autonomy. The creativity displayed in this dissertation lies in the comparative analysis of Reformation and New Youth. The ideal of social reformation ran through the academic papers appeared in the two journals, which reflected those writers'meditation on solutions to the social issues as well as their contributions to promoting social reformation, converting customs and enlightening people.Reformation has always been disregarded and received no objective and fair comments. Though detailedly dissecting aspects of the journal and reassessing its historic significance, this dissertation argues that now that reformation has accelerated the spread of socialism in China, promptly covered the latest development of social science and natural science in the world, and also made an ineffaceable contribution to cultural dissemination and political transformation, its historic significance and influence are to be affirmed rather than long ignored and left aside.