The Comtemporary Review School And Democratic Culture

This thesis attempts to explore the nature and connotation of "the Comtemporary Review School" as a Chinese modern liberalist literary /cultural league from a "political culture"angle. It mainly represents the conception and practice of Chinese modern democratic culture, and its interpretation of democracy is deep and comprehensive which reveals the basic characteristics of the democratic culture of western liberalism. With it as a starting point, the thesis probes into how "the Comtemporary Review School" implements this concept in the democratic and cultural practice, and into the nature and characteristics of literary movements. In its debate with "the Yusi School", its conception of democracy and culture has been folly displayed.The thesis falls into six parts.Introduction: With the set-up of man as the main body as the symbol, Chinese Enlightenment takes on an internalized tendency and a turnback toward the essence. The 1920s literature is endowed with an obvious enlightening and revolutionary political-cultural colour. Under such a temporal context, this part disgusses the feasibility of "the Comtemporary Review School" from a political-culture angle. With a review of the study on "the Comtemporary Review School" at home , it leads to the significance of the topic.Chapter One:A General Description of "the Comtemporary Review School". 1. "the Comtemporary Review School" within the background of modern political culture , 2. a brief introduction to the basics of "the Comtemporary Review School" , 3. a description of the the democratic culture colours of "the Comtemporary Review School" : freedom, democracy, peace, compromise, endurance, etc.Chapter Two :The Conception of Democratic Culture of "theComtemporary Review School" . It includes insistence on reason (as oppsed to radicalism , violence , the Mean and the Moderate), advocacy of self-discipline ( intellectualized awareness, perfect individualism, enlightenment, as opposed to superstition ), emphasis on order (education , laws and regulations, democratic politics ), persuit for progress (peace, amelioration, study of problems and no talk about- isms).Chapter Three: The Practices of Democratic Culture of "the Comtemporary Review School" . 1. the educational thoughts of "the Comtemporary Review School", 2. its view on laws and regulations, 3. its political opinion.Chapter Four: Literary Activities of "the Comtemporary Review School" and Its Conflicts with "the Yusi School". Literary activities of "the Comtemporary Review School". The case study is about the imbroglios and conflicts between the two sides headed by Chen Xiying and Lu Xun respectively around the Script Incident, Women's Normal University Unrest ,and "March 18th " Tragedy. Its apparent cause is momentary temper, actually the deep root lies in different interpretations of the connotations of democratic culture of the two sides.Conclusion: A Summary of the Value and meaning of "the Comtemporary Review School" in the Progress of Chinese Democratization.