Family Network, The Power Elite And Local Politics

The TaiPing Rebellion, the new policy reform and the 1911 revolution shaped local power structure of wuxi country of early republic of china. The gentry-merchant who owned the "gentry" honor and invested modern factory and enterprises began to control the local society in the process. The thesis studies on the election of chamber of commerce, opening non-treaty port, and self-defence of the The Jiangsu-Zhejiang war, which were three important events happened at wuxi country in the early of republic of china.The author discusses these gentry-merchant as local elites how to manage local affairs, what were their strategies and power resources, and what kinds of relationships between these people. The thesis argued these elites still relied on some traditional power resources, such as familial network, commercial fortune and military arming. Besides, they also adopted modern political measures, like election system and parliamentarism, to struggle for own benefits. In generally, the local political history of Wuxi country in the early republic of china was the history of local elites fighting for power, In order to get the biggest benefits these powerful people cooperate or compete in different times. They successfully managed modern factory and public projects, and make wuxi country become the famous "mini shanghai" and "model country". Fighting by oneself is the important character of wuxi modernization.