Study On Local Autonomy Ideas In Late Qing And Early Republic

In the late Qing and early Republic period,with the coming of European and American ideas,the local autonomy ideas had influenced China and were put into practice at that time.The research of local autonomy ideas in academia at present still focus on individual study and lacks systematic study.By systematically studying the local autonomy ideas during a period from the First Opium War to Beiyang Government,which was a very dangerous and complicated time,this paper hope to understand the cognitions and expectations of those advocates about local autonomy ideas,inspect its ideology purport and theoretical construction and find its historical meaning and modern value.The local autonomy ideas in modern China came from western world and but to some extent and its concept differed from Chinese traditional local autonomy idea.But from the perspective of its cognitional genetics,it can not be denied that the connection between the reason why modern Chinese intellectuals at that time can accept western local autonomy ideas with hopes so quickly and put it into practice and their self-identity of the Chinese traditional local autonomy ideas.In fact,Chinese traditional local autonomy ideas has its reasonable part and to some extent,it inspired the spread of western local autonomy ideas in China.In other word,the Chinese inherent and naive local autonomy ideas and practice are accelerant of acceptance and introduction of western local autonomy ideas by modern Chinese intellectuals.The birth of local autonomy ideas in late Qing and early Republic connected with a time of malaise at home and weakness abroad.In western world,the local autonomy idea,which came along with democracy and the rule of law,eventually became the foundation and important part of democratic politics.In modern China,no matter intellectual elites or government,both took the thoughts of local autonomy as a tool to make a strong and prosperous nation.The intellectuals in the late Qing and early Republic period took local autonomy ideas as a way to communicate with superiors,training the political ability and sense of political responsibility of people's,promote national prosperity and establish the basis of democracy and republicanism.The government of Qing Dynasty also supported local autonomy ideas,not only because of the social pressure,but also because the government thought that it can be a supplement of official governance and promote national prosperity.All these cognition of local autonomy ideas had strong instrumental characteristic and this kind of instrumental cognition can also explain the wane of local later.In order to realize local autonomy,the government did many their theoretical exploration about autonomy areas,citizens,rights,implement and supervision and constructed the framework of local autonomy.They also pointed three ways which are intentional reform,raising people's right and opening national consciousness to realize local autonomy.The contents of the practice of local government not only came from western experience but also includes new designs connected with Chinese reality.Although these designs were not perfect yet,they were still very important innovation of political culture and institution and surpassed the Chinese traditional local autonomy system.Local autonomy were put into different levels of implementation.It promoted local social reform,expanded the political participation,cultivate qualified citizens and reformed political culture.But due to the lack of necessary political,economic and social conditions,the results were far away from original expectation.The realization need stable political environment,effective government aiming at reform and national prosperity,economic and financial supports and qualified people with autonomy thoughts and skills.Looking at the history of late Qing and early Republic,although it has some conditions which were good for reform,the foundation was very week.At that time,local autonomy lacked stale political environment,effective and powerful government,financial support.At the same time,lack of people with autonomy thinking and autonomy ability.Chinese traditional local autonomy ideas were congenitally deficient,the adverse impact of traditional society is also very powerful.As a result,the conditions could not support a unprecedented reform.All in all,by learning from history,to promote a political reform and realize democratic politics,not only needs scientific design of reform plan,but also needs general promotion of modernization of political structure,economic structure,social and cultural structure.