Hu Shi On The Interpretation Of The Concept Of Human Rights

In 1930s, a polemic about human fight and constitution started with HuShih's criticism on "Human Rights Order" announced by the Nationalist Party. IsHu Shih a pure liberalist or an intellectual pestered to politics? My dissertationattempt to demonstrate Hu Shih's liberalism by discussing his explanation ofconcept "human fights", and focus on these questions:1. Why did Hu Shih interested in human rights?2. How did Hu Shih analysis and discuss this concept?3. How did others response to Hu Shih's opinion?4. What's the academic concern of Hu Shih? Does "human rights" meandifferent things to him in different circumstance?5. What kind of liberalist is Hu Shih?My dissertation answered these questions by longitudinal and crosswisecomparison. First of all, the author makes a three-part division of Hu Shih'sarticles in "Human Rights Commentary". It showed that Hu Shih's criticism onthe Nationalist Party turned intensely time by time. And he expressed his opinionof legal system from three aspects: the foundation, the content and the guarantee ofhuman rights. Luo Longji, another important writer in this polemic supported HuShih's position, but they were in contrary standpoint.In the second section, the author interprets Hu Shih's real concern of humanrights according to his diary, and explains how a positive liberalism grew up in histhought. But he explained "human rights" in a way completely different when heback to China.In the third section, the author tries to describe the situation of 1930s'Hu Shih in and interpret why he explained "human rights" in a way completely differentwhen he back to China.After all, the author concludes that Hu Shih didn't explain "human rights" asan academic concept, but as a introduction of his political dialogue with theNationalist Party. It doomed this concept's rapidly discoloration. By the mannerand purpose of Hu Shih's explanation, the author finds that the positive liberalismand pragmatism mixed deeply in his thought. Especially for his faith inpragmatism, Hu Shih's superficial explanation is highly consistent with hisattention of human rights.